


A Festive Quest

by phloridas



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied Smut, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Reality, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-09 16:22:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8899153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phloridas/pseuds/phloridas
Summary: Phil has a plan. After their incredible 2016, he wants to make this the best Christmas he and Dan have ever had. And how does he intend to do that? By customising 24 different Christmas crackers, each one a hint leading up to a Christmas neither of them will ever forget.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It’s here! It’s finally here!! I’ve been working on this Christmas fic for over an entire month now and I’m finally ready to share it! It’s easily my most ambitious project yet, but I’m so proud with how it turned out! I hope you enjoy!!

**1st December**

“Dan. Hey–hey Dan,” an incessant voice prodded the black-clothed boy as soon as he had set his now clean dinner plate on the coffee table in front of him. “It’s the first of December. And we’ve just finished dinner. You know what this means!” A mischievous light twinkled in the ice blue eyes of Phil, who was lounging comfortably on the couch beside him.

Dan giggled. “Oh, yes. How could I forget the tradition of living out our incredibly British stereotypes? Sure, Phil. Would you like to do the honour of getting the first Christmas cracker?”

“Yes, actually…” Phil’s smile grew even brighter. “I got some special crackers this year. Wait here, okay?” He got up and strode over to the dining table, crouching down to open up the large cardboard box behind it.

“Oh, _special_ crackers, are they? Well, I can’t wait to pull these bad boys apart!” Dan’s voice oozed with suggestion.

“Dan!” Phil scolded. “Not those kinds of crackers! I actually have something even better planned. It’s going to take a while to figure out, but all will be revealed on Christmas Day.” He took on the tone of a movie announcer, digging out a green foil-wrapped cracker emblazoned with a decorative number 1. Dan was intrigued now. What could Phil have possibly planned that had to do with Christmas crackers? Did he fill them all with terrible dad jokes? Dan couldn’t possibly imagine anything worse than a Christmas cracker punchline, but Phil did love his bad jokes.

“Well alright, mister man of mystery,” Dan replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. “What have you got for us tonight?”

Phil returned to the couch, face still giving nothing away. “You’ll have to find out! Ready?” Each boy grabbed an end of the cracker.

“Okay.” Dan started the countdown. “And three, two, one, go!” Both boys pulled their respective ends and with a pop, the cracker ended up in Dan’s hands. After a slight “Oh!” of surprise, he eagerly dumped out the cracker to reveal an orange paper hat, a slip of paper that he was sure contained a terrible joke, and…a tiny toy train? He laughed in surprise, eyes crinkling and dimples popping out. “Phil? What is this?”

“You’ll find out,” Phil replied mysteriously. “No hints until Christmas Day. I mean it, Danny boy.”

Dan shoved him playfully. “Fine. And what am I supposed to do with this? Take it for a ride?”

Phil rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out in a gesture that made Dan want to grab him and kiss him relentlessly, although he just barely resisted. “Well, I thought we’d display them all on the mantle. That’s why I cleared out some space today. Go on,” he prodded Dan, who reluctantly stood up and positioned the train on a slight angle near the left corner of the mantle. “That looks perfect!” Phil smiled hugely, drawing Dan back into him once he had settled back down on the couch. Dan melted into his boyfriend’s warm embrace. “Now let’s watch some more _Yuri!!! on Ice_ , yeah?”

“I’d be more than happy to.” Dan smiled as he picked up the remote and flicked on the TV, mind still lingering on Phil’s Christmas cracker surprise. What could the enigmatic boy possibly have up his sleeve that involved a train? Dan hoped he would find out soon–he wasn’t sure he could stand nearly a month’s worth of anticipation.

 

–-

**2nd December**

The next night, not a second after Dan had set his plate down, Phil jumped up with such enthusiasm that he nearly knocked over his glass. Dan chuckled fondly. “A little excited there, bean?”

Already digging through the box behind the table, Phil laughed too. “Yeah, I suppose so! I honestly love this surprise. There’s no way you’re going to guess today’s.” He dug out the right cracker–metallic silver with a stripey number 2–and turned back to Dan, pink lips curled in a cheshire grin. Dan sighed and shook his head in a what can I do? gesture, shifting slightly once Phil returned to get a good grip on the cracker.

Following a countdown from a very smiley Phil this time, the two boys gave a hefty tug on each end, with the cracker ending up in Phil’s surprised grip.

Dan was a bit confused as well. “Wait a minute Phil, isn’t it less exciting if you win since you know what’s inside?”

Phil emptied out a blue paper hat, a slip of paper, and was that…a plastic box painted to look like cardboard? “No, not at all,” the raven-headed beauty replied, tongue poking out between his smiling teeth, “especially since I get to see that expression!”

Dan didn’t realize his bafflement was showing and laughed in surprise at Phil’s reaction. “Alright fair enough. But what the hell does a box have to do with anything? Is it supposed to represent our relationship or something? Like, love is an open box? I don’t know!”

After carefully placing the plastic box on the mantle a few inches away from yesterday’s toy train, Phil glanced back down and shook his head, a sneaky smile playing upon his incredibly kissable lips. “Nope! Although you’re coming close to figuring out yesterday’s gift.” He returned to the couch, warm body snuggling up against Dan’s black-jumpered form. Raising his eyebrows, he added, “I will give you one hint, though. The gifts are all split up into 5 categories and I’ll be introducing a new category each of these first 5 days. After that, they’re all mixed up, so good luck figuring it all out.” Phil added a “mwahaha” for good measure, indulging in his inner 7-year-old.

_Five categories? And they all lead to something on Christmas?_ If anything, Dan was even more confused now than yesterday. “Well Phil, you’ve got me there,” he shrugged, smiling all the same. “Looks like I’ve got yet another thing to ponder over this month. But maybe _Haikyuu!!_ will take my mind off of it.”

Phil sighed as Dan grabbed the remote. “Seriously, how much longer can they drag out one game? I’d actually give it up right now if you didn’t love it so much.”

“Awww come on hon, it’s not that bad. And hey, if it does get too boring?” Dan’s eyes slid over to his boyfriend suggestively. “You’re free to be as disgustingly needy as you’d like. Just don’t break my concentration or I swear to God we’re sleeping in separate beds tonight.” He locked eyes with Phil to make sure he knew he was serious. Phil raised his eyebrows and cocked an equally sensual grin in challenge. It took all Dan’s willpower not to jump him right then and there. Finally tearing his eyes away from the beautiful boy beside him, Dan turned on the TV, still puzzling over Phil’s Christmas surprise but now excited to see where it was headed. Knowing Phil, it was only going to get better from here.

 

–-

**3rd December**

“So, I have a question,” Dan started the next night as Phil knelt down to dig through to the next cracker. “How the hell did you manage to organise this, with everything else we had going on this year?”

“Well, I got the idea back in Australia actually and I won’t lie, it did take a while to get everything. But you’d be surprised how easy it was to come up with 24 different things, especially when they’re split up into five groups,” Phil’s voice floated back from behind the table as he triumphantly held up a red and white striped cracker with a bold black number 3 on it, trotting back over to the couch.

“Well Phil, you may be a man of few talents but you certainly have no shortage of thoughtfulness,” an impressed Dan declared. Phil smiled fondly in response.

“Well it’s not that hard when it’s for someone I love as much as you.” Dan’s heart swelled joyfully.

“Awww, you disgusting sap. Alright come on, let’s do this here.” Dan drew their attention back to the cracker and grabbed hold of it, letting his hand stay still as Phil pulled and to no surprise, he ended up winning the cracker.

“Aw come on, you cheated,” Phil whined. Dan merely shrugged, eagerly emptying out the tube to discover today’s surprise. Disregarding the joke and purple hat entirely, he found…a tiny plastic dog bowl? It was barely big enough to hold a chocolate chip, so it was obviously meant for display. Dan dutifully placed it on the mantle, far enough away from the train and the box so that he could hopefully group all the related items with it. Nudging himself against Phil again, he grabbed his arm and rubbed his cheek against his shoulder, inquiring “No hints?” and widening his eyes in anything but an innocent gaze.

Dan could feel Phil’s breath hitch before he blinked and shook his head, emphatically declaring, “No. No hints. I mean it, bear. I’m not ruining the surprise!”

Dan slumped back in mock resignation, immediately reaching for the remote. “Fine. But I’m not finished with you yet, Phil. There’s no way you can keep this a secret for the entire month. I’m getting this out of you one way or another.” He clicked the TV on with a smirk, already buzzing with ideas of how to get Phil to crack. Impatience was growing on Dan with each passing day, and he knew Phil had to be feeling it even worse. A thrill rushed through his entire body that had nothing to do with the roaring fire beside them. Dan never backed down from a challenge, especially with Phil–somehow, he was going to figure out what all these crazy cracker gifts meant, even if it was the last thing he did.

 

–-

**4th December**

Dan couldn’t imagine how a two hour flight could leave him so drained, but the moment he stepped into their hotel room all he wanted was to flop into the giant bed and sleep for a thousand years. But of course, Phil, it seemed, had other plans. He laid his suitcase down in front of the bed and, kneeling down, eagerly opened it up. Dan smiled through his haze. Phil’s energy was seemingly endless. It was seriously so precious.

“Dan, get up!” Phil pleaded. In no time at all, he had already popped back up, grasping a bright orange cracker printed with a green number 4. “I think I did really well with today’s cracker! You’re never going to guess it!” He hopped on the bed, reminding Dan of his brother when he was just a small child. He couldn’t possibly stop the fondness from crisscrossing his face–and honestly, he didn’t want to.

“Oh, alright,” Dan sighed, pushing himself up against the cloudlike pillows behind him. Phil dangled the cracker in front of him, a splash of color in their otherwise pristine room. It tickled Dan’s nose and finally, he broke into giggles. He didn’t know why Christmas seemed to de-age Phil, but he loved it all the same. He grabbed the cracker and, following Phil’s giddy countdown, gave a hearty tug. With a pop, the cracker ended up in his hands again to only his slight surprise. Besides the normal goodies, the cracker also contained…a miniature book? Dan flipped through to find the pages printed with tiny sheet music. His heart filled with warmth. “Phil! This is…this is actually the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen! Oh my god, just…thank you so much, I actually love it!” He pulled Phil into a giant hug, squeezing tightly and peppering kisses all over his face.

“But Dan, you can’t even play it!” Phil’s eyebrows crinkled in the cutest way once they had finally parted.

“So? That doesn’t matter! When would I even have time to play anything anyway? It’s still the cutest little thing, I can’t imagine how it must have been made! I think this is actually my favorite one so far. Thank you, Phil.” It was like a switch had turned on inside Dan. Suddenly, his veins were buzzing with excitement. Screw his plans of finding the hotel’s Wifi–he wanted Phil _now_ , and he didn’t care about the consequences.

“Awww well I’m glad you like it, Dan. There’s plenty more where that came from, trust me.” Phil’s lip curled up in an expression that drove Dan absolutely insane. “Now, what do you say we…” he let his voice trail off, eyebrows raised.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Dan replied slyly. Needless to say, Stockholm was about to become a city for the books–for reasons completely unrelated to the imminent death of TATINOF--and Dan, for one, could not be more thrilled.

 

–-

**5th December**

A whole different kind of energy buzzed backstage the next evening. From their own TATINOF crew to various Swedish theater workers, it was a wonder Dan and Phil got even this single moment alone in their dressing room. With hair as straight as Dan’s claimed sexuality in 2012 and faces painted like waxworks, the two lovers were left with nothing but the show running through their minds–or so Dan thought.

Phil, of course, was on a different wavelength entirely. Not two seconds after their makeup artist had left the room, he jumped straight up and made a beeline for his coat hung up in the corner. In no time, he was back on his leather covered stool, holding a royal purple-coloured cracker printed with a polka dotted number 5 and grinning at Dan like a puppy begging for food.

“You didn’t think I’d forget about today’s cracker, did you, Dan?” Phil’s bright smile was so adorable, Dan couldn’t help imitating it.

Closing his eyes and shaking his head at the ground, Dan muttered, “Of course, Santa.” His eyes flicked back up to Phil’s shining face and, taking hold of the cracker, he raised his voice ever so slightly to add, “What goodies have you got for us today?”

“You’ll find out,” Phil promised, and after a count to three, both boys tugged on their respective ends. After a pop rendered nearly inaudible by the background screams for Melanie Martinez, Phil was left with the cracker tonight and giddily emptied it out. Among the normal treats, he took his time revealing the mystery gift. “If you liked yesterday’s, you’re really going to love today’s,” he announced confidently. “Are you ready?”

Dan was about to explode with anticipation. “Yes! Oh my god Phil, just show it to me! Please?”

“Patience, my dear grasshopper.” Dan couldn’t decide whether he wanted to chuck Phil out the window or tear his trademark blue shirt off his snow-white chest. With a flourish, Phil dug his arm in the cardboard tube to grandly reveal…a slightly bent flower crown? Upon further inspection, Dan discovered that it was made entirely of cherry blossoms. He burst into uncontrollable laughter.

“You actually got us a flower crown, Phil? I mean, it’s actually beautiful, but…what the hell are we supposed to do with it?”

“Well, besides being a piece of a much bigger puzzle, I was thinking we could start 2017 off with a pastel edits video! It’s really not as hard as you think and I know it would make a lot of people really happy!” Through his tears, Dan glimpsed an expectant smile overtaking Phil’s face like a child awaiting approval.

Wheezing slightly, Dan responded, “Well, we do live in a post-baking universe. Why the hell not?” He spread his arms wide as Phil sneakily smirked, reaching over and positioning the crown on Dan’s fluffy, chocolate brown head. Finally tearing his eyes away from Phil and glancing in the mirror, Dan was sent into a whole new fit of giggles.

“Awwww it looks so cute!” Phil cooed, sliding his phone out of his pocket. “Can I get a picture? This one isn’t going anywhere, it’s just for me.”

“Oh alright,” Dan acquiesced, cocking his head and placing his hands palms down under his chin, widening his eyes for the ultimate “kawaii” look. Phil snapped the picture and gazed back at it with the softest smile Dan had ever seen. He wanted nothing more than to jump in Phil’s lap and kiss those angel lips a million times, and then a million more. But they had a show to do. So, switching his focus back to the performance ahead of him and completely forgetting about the flower crown perched atop his head, Dan couldn’t help but feel like this was going to be quite the memorable show, for reasons beyond whatever may happen onstage tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The festive fluff continues as Dan and Phil complete their final TATINOF shows and finally put up their Christmas tree, while through it all, Phil's cracker surprises keep coming--and positively stumping Dan. Will some persistent wheedling finally get Phil to crack and reveal his secret plan? Or will he hold his ground, despite how irresistible Dan makes himself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to part two of A Festive Quest! Have you started to figure some things out yet? Well, strap yourself in because today's about to be a blizzard of disgustingly Christmasy fluff--I hope you enjoy!

**6th December**  
“Holy fuck, Phil. We actually--we actually did it. We’ve made it to the last TATINOF show. The last show ever. All those endless nights in America, the crazy flight to Australia, begging all those European theaters to please give us a chance...it’s all lead to this. I honestly feel like I could start crying at any second.” Sat in the same elaborate dressing room as yesterday, Dan couldn’t help but feel like his whole life had led to this moment.

“Dan, stop, you’re going to make me cry too,” Phil pouted. “But hey, I know what will help!” He strode over to his coat, hung on the same peg as yesterday, and dug out today’s cracker, bright red with a solid green number 6 festively printed on it.

Dan’s pensive expression immediately flipped to one full of mirth. “Oh my god, I can’t believe I forgot about those bloody crackers. Alright Phil, what have we got today?”

“Well, I actually forgot what today’s is since the categories are all mixed up now. So I guess it’ll be a surprise for me too! Ready?” Phil gleefully responded, allowing Dan to grab hold of the foil. Moments later, the cracker landed in Phil’s eager grasp with a slight pop nearly deafened by the roar of the crowd beyond the wall. Dan was intrigued to see Phil’s reaction this time around, especially if it was going to be as much a surprise for him as it was for Dan. Dumping the tube on his lap, he revealed...a tiny fabric couch? Dan leaned in to admire the craftsmanship. Sure enough, a teal and black fabric couch, exactly identical to Dil’s, sat delicately in Phil’s outstretched palms. Dan reached out to touch it and sure enough, it was intricately textured and quite sturdy. He turned his wide eyes up to Phil’s soft gaze, breathing, “Phil. This is absolutely amazing! But what does this even mean? Are you planning on building a Dil dollhouse or something? Because while it is an incredible pun, I can’t even imagine where we would put it. But you’re probably not going to tell me, are you?”

Phil set the tiny couch on the counter in front of him and affixed the blue paper crown atop his head with a smirk nearly rivaling that of Evan Peters’. “Ah ah ah, Dan.” He wagged his finger in Dan’s face, who smacked it aside with a challenging eyebrow raise. “Christmas will be here before you know it! Isn’t it more fun to figure it out yourself?”

“No,” Dan replied with a laugh, but turned back to the wide lighted mirror facing their row of stools all the same. Tonight, nothing would be holding him back from giving everyone in this building the most monumental show of their lives. This past year had been the most insane journey that he still couldn’t believe was even possible--so really, he owed this to everyone, but most of all, he owed it to himself and his ebony-haired partner for life. They really had done it--and that, Dan knew with all his heart, was something to be proud of.

 

\--

 **7th December**  
Lying here, curled up against Phil’s impossibly soft figure with a stomach full of sushi, Dan felt perfectly content to never move again. The hotel bed provided an extra layer of comfort that could honestly carry him off to sleep at any second. He nudged needily into Phil’s shoulder like a cat, suddenly feeling eighteen again but enjoying it all the same.

“Dan, you’re making it really hard to get today’s surprise,” Phil whined, eyes wide as an anime character’s. Dan giggled, lips tickling his boyfriend’s snowy neck. “But what could you possibly have today, Phil? Surely even you can’t top these last few days!”

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” Phil intoned, finally detangling his body from Dan and leaning off the side of the bed to reach into his messy suitcase. This time, it was Dan’s turn to whine in protest.

“Hey, come back, I’m not done with you yet!” Dan hoped his pout would be enough to convince the ebony-haired noodle to return to his grasp once he finally turned around, holding a blue cracker with a silver number 7 printed on.

“Don’t worry Dan, I’m all yours after this. I may not remember exactly what’s in this one but I know you’ll love it anyway, come on,” Phil coaxed, and just hearing that voice made Dan reluctantly give in. Phil really had him wrapped around his finger, but he couldn’t imagine feeling any other way.

“Oh alright,” Dan pushed himself upright with a soft groan, taking hold of his end. With a sharp tug from both parties, the festive cracker landed with a pop in Phil’s grip yet again, and Dan crawled the short distance to nudge himself up against Phil again to get a firsthand glimpse at today’s gift. Tipping over the foil-covered tube, out fluttered the standard slip of paper and colorful party crown, this time accompanied by...a tiny wooden backless bench? Dan was truly flummoxed at this development. Gently turning the small object in Phil’s outstretched palms to get a better look at it, suddenly a realisation hit him with the force of a jet plane. “Is this a tiny piano bench? Oh my goodness, _Phil!_ But what in the world are we supposed to use it for? I’m seriously starting to think my dollhouse theory isn’t that far from the truth.” Dan was truly touched by Phil’s thoughtfulness, but still utterly baffled by the strange clues that seemed to have no correlation at all.

Phil’s eyes were shining with delight. Evidently, Dan’s reaction was more than he expected. “You’re right that it is a piano bench, but no, it’s not for a dollhouse. Trust me, you’ll find out. I know I sound like a broken record, but Christmas is getting closer every day. Please promise me that you can wait until then? I promise it’ll all be worth it.” Dan had no choice but to believe Phil with the overwhelming amount of sincerity in his voice.

“Well alright, I guess I can trust you,” Dan teased, face full of mirth. “You do make it harder every day, though, bean. How am I possibly supposed to wait two and a half weeks now?”

“Good, that’s the plan.” Phil compensated his infuriating tone with a soft peck on Dan’s nose. Dan pulled the sweet boy back to his chest before he could drift away, not wanting to let go of this pleasure anytime soon. The two boys completely forgot about the festive goodies strewn around them, choosing instead to focus on the safeness and warmth that the other provided. With heavy eyes, Dan finally felt himself melt into a pile of molasses. Phil certainly had that effect on him, even after seven years. Dan was incredibly grateful for it, though, and knew that he wouldn’t trade Phil for anything. Thanks to the angel beside him, he slept better than he had in a long time, all his worries completely masked by a haze of love and comfort. Just before he drifted off to sleep, he realized that he wanted nothing more than to spend his life with Phil--and in this moment, he was quite confident that the beautiful boy beside him felt the exact same way.

 

\--

 **8th December**  
Dan would never admit this to Phil, but after the insanity of the last few weeks, he was honestly so glad for the familiarity of his own lounge and the comfort of having a nearly empty calendar for the rest of the year. Sure, he was beyond grateful for the wonderful experiences and opportunities he had shared with Phil, but there really was nothing like turning on a beloved anime and feeling Phil’s warmth against him on their slightly uncomfortable couch as the zesty taste of fajitas danced on his tongue. If only they could stay like this forever. But of course, as soon as the two boys had finished their last bites of the Christmas cookies they had received from the Swedish theater, Phil shifted slightly, turning his ice blue eyes to Dan. “You know, bear, once again, you’re making it really hard for me to get today’s surprise.” His disapproving pout did nothing to persuade Dan to let go. If anything, it just made him pull Phil even closer.

“You’re still on about those surprises? I mean, of course I love them, but it’s seriously so much. Like, this is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. And it’s not even close to Christmas yet! I really can’t thank you enough, Phil.” Dan hoped he had injected the right amount of sincerity in his voice to express how he truly felt. Phil was seriously the sweetest person Dan had ever had the pleasure of knowing. And he was all his--Dan seriously couldn’t believe his luck sometimes.

“Awww Dan stop, you’re too sweet.” Phil’s eyes filled with a love that Dan was only occasionally treated to--but when he was, it was better than any baking creation they had ever come up with. Much to Dan’s chagrin, though, the long-legged boy slithered out of his loose grip and off the couch, heading for the box of goodies behind the rarely used dining table. Dan got a good glimpse of his beloved boyfriend’s ass as he leaned over, though, a view he very much appreciated. After a few seconds of digging, the raven-haired boy finally returned, holding an orange cracker with a bright green number 8. Automatically, Dan reached out to grab his end and once the two boys had given their respective ends a nice tug, the cracker gave a slight pop like a balloon and ended up in Dan’s grasp. Finally! After two days in a row of Phil winning, Dan was intrigued to discover the contents himself.

Out of the tube floated the standard joke slip and a yellow paper crown, accompanied by...a tiny plastic llama? Dan had to let out a loud cackle at that. Oh, Phil was so going to get it for this one. “A llama? Seriously? After three amazing and beautiful little things, a _llama?_ You know, sometimes I really can't believe you.” Dan shook his head in chagrin, yet carefully positioned the llama on the mantle just the same.

“Hey, like I said, it's part of a bigger picture!” Phil protested, but he was laughing too. “I promise it'll all make sense soon.” He snuggled into Dan as the younger returned to their much-loved sofa. Dan responded by pulling the older boy tightly into him, their faces just inches apart.

“You're a strange man, Phil Lester,” Dan giggled, lips brushing against Phil’s nose, then his cheeks, then his feather-soft hair. “But I love you for it.”

Phil merely nuzzled his face into Dan’s neck, causing both boys to moan in pleasure. Dan’s back arched as his kisses grew more insistent and eventually, both boys completely forgot about the anime they were in the middle of watching, preferring to explore the other’s familiarity instead. Even after seven years, Dan was still utterly intoxicated by Phil in every way. Really, it was just another typical Thursday night.

 

\--

 **9th December**  
“Oh, Daaannn!” a panting Phil called, breaking into Dan’s editing trance. The distant strains of Christmas music drifted into his room. “I’ve got the tree out! Come decorate it with me! Please?”

Well, Dan certainly wasn’t about to say no to that. Standing up and stretching his long legs, he trotted out to the lounge to find Phil sat before their big duct tape-covered cardboard box, wielding the foundation branch. “This isn’t about to turn into the festive day in the life of 2014, is it?” he giggled, plopping down on the other side of the box in front of their new tree stand.

“No, I promise I’m much more mature than that,” Phil attempted to say with a straight face, but one look at Dan and he was doubling over in fits of giggles.

“Sure you are, Phil,” Dan replied disbelievingly. “Now, I’d say we’re pretty much pros at this after six years, don’t you think? We’ve got this in the bag!”

“Hell yeah we do!” Phil exclaimed just as confidently.

But apparently six years of experience meant nothing for them, as it still took over an hour just to construct the tree. When it was finally complete and strung with the rave lights, the two noodle-like boys stood back to get a good look at it. Finally, their lounge was starting to appear festive. Dan bounced on his toes, knowing what came next. “Decorating tiiiimeee!” he sang out, dancing over to the big plastic boxes of baubles. Phil was close behind, a jolly smile nearly overtaking his face.

Opening up the box, Dan’s heart leapt at seeing the familiar decorations. There, nestled carefully on white tissue paper, were the stars and snowflakes and traditional baubles that perfectly represented his and Phil’s relationship. And sure enough, there in the corner was the polystyrene polar bear, a little more beat up than he was in 2010, but still absolutely adorable all the same. Dan’s heart swelled, remembering the filming of the video where they had first constructed this very tree. Like the night owls they were, they had waited until one in the morning to even begin, Dan ecstatic about his first Christmas in Manchester. Letting his eyes unfocus and the memory take over, he wished he could go back to that time when everything was so simple and he didn’t have to worry about a massive audience watching his every move. Of course he was incredibly grateful for what he had now and wouldn’t trade that for the world, but like anything in life, it had to have a downside.

“Dan? Are you alright?” Phil’s loving voice broke into his thoughts. Dan blinked and shook his head, surprised to find that his eyes were just the slightest bit misty.

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m just thinking back on that first Christmas we had in Manchester, back when I was still at uni. I remember being so excited to spend it together. You texted me as soon as you got the tree, back in November, and I had to actually come over there to convince you not to put it up right then. Your Christmas spirit was so contagious--it still is, really. We were so young and naive back then. I still miss it sometimes.”

“Awww Dan!” Now it was Phil’s turn to have shiny eyes. “We’re going to have an even better Christmas this year, though! Trust me, this is going to be one for the books. Just you wait, Danny boy. Just you wait.”

“Don’t call me that,” Dan lightly smacked Phil’s arm, grinning all the while. “Anyway, let’s get to decorating this bitch.” And he picked up a gold spherical bauble, heading back to the tree to find the perfect spot.

“Oh, I almost forgot! This year’s baubles!” Phil dashed back to their overflowing hallway closet, swiftly returning with a white plastic bag clinking with their new decorations.

“Oh my god, how could I possibly forget that donut?” Dan laughed, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The boys continued to string baubles onto the branches, occasionally singing and dancing along to the festive tunes. Dan’s body felt warm and soft all at once, filled with festivity. It was pretty safe to say that Phil felt the same way. His love for Christmas was honestly the cutest thing.

Finally, the tree was full of baubles, meaning there was only one thing left to do. “Sexy ghost star!” Phil proclaimed giddily before Dan could even give him a choice.

“Why do we even have two stars anyway? You always end up choosing this one,” Dan laughed, allowing Phil to retrieve the tree topper.

“Hey, let’s do it together! Pleeaassee?”

“Really? That's so cheesy, Phil!” But he grabbed the star anyway, fingers intertwining with Phil’s. Together, the two boys lifted the grand finale to the top of the tree just as Frank Sinatra sang “Merry Christmas to you”. They stepped back together to admire their hard work, arms around each other’s waists and a tangible Christmas spirit filling the air. The twinkling of the fairy lights mixed with Phil’s faint gingerbread scent was enough to make Dan’s head spin.

“Merry Christmas, bear,” Phil murmured into Dan’s ear, just loud enough for him to hear.

Dan smiled softly. “But it’s not Christmas for another two weeks,” he protested just as softly.

“I know. But you’re my Christmas present.” Phil’s lips vibrated against Dan’s soft hair, a weird but not altogether unpleasant sensation.

“You disgust me,” Dan beamed, bumping his entire left side into Phil. They remained this way for a while, lost in a festive trance, until Phil suddenly jumped away, leaving Dan’s left side slightly colder than before.

“Bean? What’s wrong?” Dan wanted to pull Phil back to him. He felt so abandoned even though Phil was just a few feet away, not to mention he needed his warmth.

“Today’s cracker! We’ve got to do it before tonight’s video!” Phil was already behind the dining table, pulling out a sunny yellow cracker printed with a silver number 9. Still standing and complyingly grabbing hold of the end Phil held out for him, Dan kept a tight grip even as Phil pulled, not wanting to let the surprise master win this time. Unsurprisingly, he ended up with the cracker, feeling slightly heavier than usual, and eagerly emptied it out to discover today’s gift. Or, at least he attempted to. It seemed to be stuck. He gave the cracker a rather vigorous shake, and finally, nearly falling on the floor, out tumbled...a Japanese neko attached to a keychain? A giggle leaked out of Dan’s mouth as he twisted the soft animal around to get a better look at it from all angles. This wasn’t as weird as yesterday’s llama at least, but Dan was still a bit confused.

“Thank you, Phil, this little guy is so cute!” he finally said, walking over to the mantle and placing the little neko gently on top of the tiny fabric couch, positioning it so it appeared to be taking a nap. “But not as cute as someone else I know, of course.” He returned to where Phil was now lounging on the sofa, stretching his finger out to give his nose a soft “boop!” Phil’s eyes crinkled in the best way, injecting Dan with a slippery liquid warmth.

“Awww Dan,” Phil protested feebly, letting his large head fall onto Dan’s shoulder, tickling his neck with his soft hair. Rather than flinching, Dan’s lips found their way to that onyx hair, lingering for only a second until his eyes met Phil’s utterly infatuated gaze. It was as if Dan was hit by a tsunami of emotion and desire. He pulled the beautiful blue-eyed boy tighter to him, softly pressing his lips onto Phil’s before his hormones kicked in and he deepened the kiss, appreciating the syrupy sweet taste of the other boy’s lips. Sometimes, he still couldn’t believe that look was meant exclusively for him. It was like he still had a hint of eighteen-year-old Dan wriggling inside him, constantly afraid Phil would leave or change his mind at any second. As Phil kissed back with just as much, if not more intensity, though, Dan felt pretty confident that he was here to stay. And so it was with a light heart that he crawled into bed with Phil hours later, completely forgetting about his previous weirdness. For the moment, at least, Phil was exclusively his, and that was all that truly mattered.

 

\--

 **10th December**  
“Dan come on, you’ve been editing long enough. Don’t you think it’s time to take a break?” Dan didn’t even notice his flatmate coming up behind him until he lifted one giant black headphone off his ear.

“But Phil, I’m so close,” he whined, turning his best puppy dog eyes on the three-dimensional form of the boy he had been spending most of the day watching on a screen. “I really want to finish this tonight so I can completely concentrate on the next video tomorrow. Remind me why we decided to do gamingmas again?” he sighed dejectedly.

“We said it would be fun! And a good challenge! Isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Dan sighed again. “Although I’m really starting to feel the challenge part right now.”

“Take a break!” Phil wheedled, now sliding Dan’s headphones off his head completely. “I promise it’ll still be there tomorrow. Now come on, don’t you want some dinner? It’s been dark for ages now, you’ve gotta be at least a little hungry!”

Dan’s stomach seemed to answer for him, as it let out a growl worthy of Phil’s 2011 lion branding. “Okay fine,” he acquiesced, finally pushing himself back and stretching his long, stiff legs. “Wait a minute.” He sniffed the air. “Is that...pizza? Phil, did you make dinner already?” Dan’s eyes widened in appreciation. Phil really was the best sometimes.

“Well, I ordered it. I can’t believe you didn’t hear the doorbell!” Phil’s eyes crinkled adorably and he shook his head at the ground as both boys ambled out of Dan’s room.

“Hey, these noise-cancelling headphones were one of the best purchases I’ve ever made,” Dan defended himself, giving Phil a challenging look as they entered the kitchen.

“Seems like they cancel out more than just noise,” Phil quipped with a half-grin. Dan merely shoved him lightly in response. Digging out a clean plate from the cupboard, he hungrily piled up slices as Phil did the same. Their fingers frequently bumped against one another (not always accidentally) before both boys headed straight for the couch, where Dan found that Phil had already set up the TV for _Steven Universe_ and set two Ribenas out on the coffee table. “Phil, you did all this? Thank you so much!” Impulsively, he pressed his lips against Phil’s temple for a brief second in appreciation. “I’m so sorry I’ve been editing this monster literally all day. But Phil in real life is a hundred times better than Phil on the screen any day, trust me.”

“Awww Dan,” Phil protested feebly. “It was really nothing, but I’m glad you appreciate it. Now, I think there’s one thing we’re missing…” he added in his best attempt at a mysterious tone, setting down his plate and heading for the now familiar box behind the dining table.

Dan chuckled lightly, settling onto the couch. “Oh yes, how could I _possibly_ forget our cracker tonight? I can’t _imagine_ what today’s gift must be!” he drawled sarcastically. Phil whacked his arm with the red cracker emblazoned with a deep green number 10 as he returned, a smile dancing upon his lips. Dan instinctively reached out for his end, gripping it tightly with eyebrows raised challengingly at Phil. The black-haired boy matched his gaze and both boys gave their best tug. With a slightly disappointing soft pop, the cracker landed with Dan again tonight and the noodle-like boy felt a childlike thrill as he emptied it out this time to find, among the usual useless cracker goodies...a small, soft green ball? Upon closer inspection, Dan discovered it was made to look like a miniature tennis ball. _What??_ A laugh tumbled out of his lips in confusion. “Are you trying to tell me you want to take up tennis in 2017, Phil? Is there some tennis anime I somehow don’t know about?”

Phil’s face broke into one of his classic smiles, poking tongue and all. “No and no. Trust me, you’ll see. I know I keep saying that but seriously, it will be absolutely worth it.”

“Well alright, I guess I'll believe you today, Philly,” Dan smirked down at the secret-wielding boy as he set the little ball next to the llama. Phil rolled his eyes and Dan felt himself getting drawn into his familiar cosy body. Melting into his boyfriend’s strong embrace, Dan allowed himself to be the little spoon for once and he had to admit, it felt really nice. But there was still something missing. He leaned over to grab his plate and slide his Ribena closer. There. He took his first hungry bite as Phil started the show, finally managing to forget about the new gaming video for the first time that day as he was instantly hit with the savoury flavours of melted cheese combined with tangy tomato sauce and spicy pepperoni. Snuggling deeper into Phil, he finally felt content and more grateful for the beautiful boy next to him than he would probably ever admit. Somehow, Phil knew just what Dan needed before he even knew he needed it. And that, he knew, was truly irreplaceable.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second week of December brings Phil's family wedding, the first snowfall of the season, and, unfortunately, a stress nightmare for Dan. But through it all, Phil's cracker gifts just keep coming, much to Dan's delight. Will an observant Dan finally start to piece together Phil's mystery? Or are the gifts still far too obscure?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are, part three of A Festive Quest and the train ain’t stopping! Are you surprised Phil hasn’t cracked yet? Well, get ready for some disgustingly domestic Phan as we weave our way through the second week of December! (Also I know Phil actually left for the wedding on the 10th but I had to switch it to the 11th to make everything work out, okay?) I hope you enjoy!

**11th December**  
“Dan! Hey, before I leave, I want to do our cracker for today!” Dan finally tore his eyes away from Reddit to find a rather dapper Phil, dressed to the nines in a tuxedo yet still looking adorable as he bounced from foot to foot. He already had the object in question in his grasp, this time snow white with a bright blue sparkly number 11. Dan waited for him to perch carefully on the sofa before grabbing hold of his end and giving it a hearty tug. Again, after a slightly underwhelming pop, the dovelike festive reminder landed in Dan’s grip. His heart jumped as he tipped the cardboard tube out to find...a tiny pair of golden headphones? They were small enough for Dan to slide on his wrist like a bracelet. Dan stared smilingly down at them for a moment.

“Phil, these are so nice! Are they to commemorate the golden headphones we won three years ago?” They were even as cold and smooth as the real things. Dan carefully set them next to the little music book on their quickly filling up mantle, turning back to the well-dressed man in front of him with shining eyes.

“Maaybeee…” Phil drew the word out unconvincingly. Dan smiled to himself, proud for finally decoding one of his open-book boyfriend’s surprises.

“Well, I love it anyway. Thank you, Phil.” Dan brushed his lips butterfly-like along Phil’s smooth cheek, eliciting a tiny smile from the angel bean. “Have fun at the wedding, but not too much fun, eh?” Pulling away, Dan found a sparkle in Phil’s eyes to match the fairy lights behind him.

“Oh trust me, it won’t be nearly as fun without you,” Phil assured him. “I wish we didn’t have to do this, but you can’t control what people post online. You know I’ll be FaceTiming you every second I can, though!”

“Awww thanks hon, you don’t have to. I’ve got a pretty hefty gamingmas video to work on today. Now go out there and knock all those Manchesterians’ socks off. And send my love to David and Emma, alright?” Dan stood up from the couch to give Phil a short but tight embrace.

“Yes, daddy,” Phil replied with a wicked glint in his multi coloured eyes once both boys had pulled away. Dan rolled his eyes and smacked Phil on the bicep, smiling all the while.

“Oh fuck off. Alright Phil, you don’t want to be late for the train. You’ve got everything, right?”

“Yes, _daddy_ ,” Phil repeated even more insistently this time, grabbing the small wrapped box lying on the dining room table and shrugging on his formal black trench coat.

Dan raised his eyebrows. “Oh you’re just asking for it now, Phil. You’re lucky I’m even letting you leave at this point.” He shook his head, joining the giant joker down the stairs. Once they reached the front door, Dan added, “Have a great time okay, babe?” with a soft kiss on his pink lips before the handsome boy thanked him, stepping out the door and leaving Dan with a slightly emptier house--and a monster of a video to edit. Hopefully, that would take his mind off the loneliness that would surely set in later today.

 

\--

 **12th December**  
“Phil! Whoa, not too close to the fire there, okay hon? We don’t want ‘Phil _is_ on fire’ to come true!” Both boys giggled at that.

“That’s got to be the oldest joke in our branding.” Phil shook his head, adding some more old papers to the kindling before rising again and eyeing the dining table. Dan followed his gaze, mouth curling despite himself.

“You want to do our cracker now?” Phil nodded, teeth tugging at his lips endearingly. “Oh alright, go ahead,” Dan allowed him and the Christmas jumper-clad boy bounded over to the big box. Returning with a teal cracker printed with a bright yellow number 12, Dan eagerly sat up to discover the next object Phil’s extraordinarily thoughtful brain came up with for today.

After a yank from both smiling parties and a pop nearly deafened by the Michael Buble drifting from their home theater system, the ocean-coloured cylinder landed in Phil’s grasp with a “Ha!” from the winner. Dan immediately nudged the few feet across the couch to cuddle against Phil’s soft body and get a better view of today’s gift. Besides the usual goodies, including a purple crown Phil proudly positioned on his feathery soft head, the two boys found...a tiny green plastic fridge?

“Phil, I swear to God!” Dan cackled. “You’re building a Dilhouse! What the hell else could this be for? Are we getting a doll-sized version of Dil and Tabitha on Christmas Eve?”

A knowing smile played on Phil’s ultra-pink lips as Dan took the small rectangular object to find that even the miniature doors opened and closed. “Nope. I actually don’t intend on doing anything with these things. Like I said, they’re all hints that lead to five different bigger things. That’s all I’m telling you, though.”

“Oh, you’re sure about that?” Dan challenged once he had set the little fridge near the couch atop the mantle.

“Yes sir, Daniel. I’m a locked safe until Christmas Day.” Just then, the music switched over to some more somber-sounding violins. Dan’s breath caught in his throat. “Oh, I love this song!” he gasped with wide eyes as Buble crooned, “ _I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me_.” In an uncharacteristic move, he reached his arm out to Phil, still sitting on the couch. “May I have this dance?” he intoned, deepening his voice ever so suggestively.

Phil’s eyebrows jumped up, but he allowed Dan to drag him to the bit of open space between the sofa and the tree. And so the two boys found themselves waltzing around the room, Dan’s arms locked around Phil’s neck while Phil’s feather soft hands ever so gently graced the small of his back, sending a teenagelike thrill coursing through his veins. Despite occasionally bumping into furniture, it was a thoroughly enjoyable late Monday night with a festive spirit humming in the air. Dan could only hope Phil would always want him as he did right now--hot chocolate-stained Christmas jumper and all.

 

\--

 **13th December**  
Immediately after Phil had vacated his spot on the sofa to check on dinner the next night, Dan scooched over to get a good look at the mantle. Over the past twelve days, it had already gotten relatively full with the various cracker knickknacks that seemed to have very little correlation among them. The only connections Dan could make were among the couch and the fridge, but Phil was quite adamant about not building a Dilhouse. The vibrant cherry blossom flower crown caught his eye, along with the light green tennis ball nearby. A light bulb suddenly dinged in his head like a cartoon. Those were both outdoor things! He moved the two objects closer together. Maybe Phil wanted to go outside more in 2017? What really baffled Dan, though, was the tiny dog bowl that couldn’t possibly hold more than a marble. Was that supposed to be some metaphor for their overwhelming lack of storage? He couldn’t allow himself to even consider the other possibility. Just then, heavy footsteps announced their presence, making Dan scurry back to his laptop on the other side of the couch.

“Trying to figure out my cracker hints, are you?” A glint shone in Phil’s eyes to match the twinkling Christmas tree behind him. “I guarantee you, Dan, there’s no way you’ll figure this out. I spent way too much time, but it’s exactly perfect. That reminds me, though,” he added, eyebrows raising in question, “do you want to do today’s now? The pasta sauce still needs a bit of time.”

As soon as the words had left Phil’s mouth, the heavenly aroma of tomato sauce tickled its way into Dan’s nostrils, causing his stomach to gurgle loudly in protest. “Oh sure, why not?” he shrugged, laughing. “I mean, what more can you possibly add to this strange assortment? Wait, don’t answer that,” he backtracked as Phil darted over to the now half-empty box, a dangerously suggestive smirk overtaking his face. He emerged tonight with a shiny bronze cracker plastered with a silver number 13.

As the two boys carried out their nightly festive tradition, the pop of the cracker nearly inaudible with the simultaneous crackle of the fire, the cardboard tube ended up in Dan’s chilly hands. Feeling like an overexcited seven-year-old, he emptied it out to find, among the standard cracker treats...a piece of blue braided string? It was looped at the top, just big enough for Dan to stick two fingers through, with a tiny metal lanyard clip at the bottom. “String, Phil?” Dan could barely contain his breathless giggles. “Okay, I’ll admit it’s not exactly your standard string, but...what the hell does a piece of string have to do with anything?”

Apparently Dan’s laughter was contagious, as Phil broke into his crinkle-eyed smile and nearly inaudible giggles to match the brunet’s. “Well, I will give you one hint. It’s not actually string. It’s meant to be something else. I’m sure as hell not telling you what that something else is, though.”

“Oh you’re sure about that, are you?” Dan challenged once he had looped the string around the llama’s neck like a leash and turned back to the blue-eyed beauty beside him.

“Yes, Mr. Howell. I’ve made it halfway through this endeavour, and I fully intend to complete it. So that means no hints for little sneaks like _you_.” Phil reached out to boop Dan’s nose on the last word, breaking the younger boy into a full-dimpled smile.

“Oh all right,” Dan sighed, giving in far too easily, affectionately moulding his body into Phil’s. “All I’m saying is tomorrow’s surprise has to be better than string, Mr. Claus.” Catlike, he laid his head on Phil’s shoulder and blinked innocently into his stunning eyes.

“Well, I guess we’ll both have to see about that,” Phil grinned, reaching for the remote on the coffee table. “Now what do you say we catch up on our favourite ice skaters before tomorrow’s penultimate?”

“I’d be more than happy to,” Dan sighed, heart jumping at the prospect of jumping back into what was quickly becoming one of his favourite anime worlds with his favourite person in the world. Even if he considered a piece of string to be an acceptable Christmas gift, Phil was still all his--and Dan wasn’t about to take that for granted. Snuggling again into Phil’s warmth, he couldn’t help feeling like he was inside one of those nauseatingly perfect Christmas scenes he scoffed at as a teenager, believing it impossible to be that happy. Although this time, he knew it was real, and he didn’t mind one bit.

 

\--

 **14th December**  
Dan gasped suddenly, eyes flashing open to reveal the comforting familiarity of the big bedroom he shared with Phil. But it felt all but comforting now. He rolled over to wrap his arms around the warm lump of skin and bones and muscle beside him, but there was nothing there. His heart irrationally jumped into his throat.

“Phil?” he called timidly. _Come on, Phil’s never going to hear that!_ a vicious voice snapped in Dan’s head. “Phil?” he forced his voice to project, hoping beyond hope that the raven-haired boy was close by to hear it.

Blessedly, an alarmed voice called back, “Dan?” Hurried footsteps quickly followed, and Dan cursed himself for sounding so worried. It was just a dream, right?

“Dan? Is everything alright?” A slightly out of breath, pajama-clad Phil rushed up with genuine terror in his beautiful blue eyes. Dan wished he could wipe the expression straight from his face.

“I’m fine, it’s just...I had a bad dream and I got worried that you weren’t there. Don’t worry though, I’m okay.” Dan assured. He couldn’t stand people worrying about him. He could handle himself just fine, thank you.

“Oh, Dan!” Phil exclaimed, hopping on the bed and giving his back reassuring rubs, palm warm against Dan’s skin. “A bad dream is nothing to be ashamed of! It happens to all of us. Do you want to tell me what it was about?” His eyes radiated nothing but love and understanding now.

“Well…” Dan felt himself unravel at the pure gratefulness he felt for Phil and his willingness to help with absolutely anything. “It’s probably just a stress dream because of gamingmas, but I got this letter from Manchester Uni that said I hadn’t actually fully dropped out and I was signed up for all these classes and I had to go to them and pay this exorbitant amount and everything. I mean, I know that would never actually happen, but it just felt so real, you know?”

Throughout his whole spiel, Phil remained calm as can be, never once taking his eyes off Dan. “Oh, _Dan_ ,” he repeated, drawing the taller boy into his tight embrace. Dan melted at the touch. Normally, he wouldn’t allow anyone in, as this was what his dream journal was for, but Phil was different. After a long moment, Dan finally pulled away, gazing into Phil’s deep eyes with appreciation.

“Thank you, Phil. I know it’s totally stupid and it would never happen and it’s seriously just a dream and I need to get over it, but that actually really helped. You really are the best, you know that?”

“Dan,” Phil’s voice had now turned stern, and he gripped Dan’s hands tightly in his own. His eyes bore straight into Dan’s with a rare intensity. “It’s not stupid. It’s not stupid at all. It was a dream that honestly scared you and it’s perfectly okay to feel that way. Your problems are just as valid as everyone else’s, no matter what they’re going through. Please don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. And I _want_ to hear about your problems, whatever they may be. Trust me, Dan, I want to help. Okay?” He squeezed Dan’s slightly chilly hands in support.

Dan’s heart expanded to fit the entire Atlantic Ocean. He couldn’t possibly express how grateful he was for Phil. He was so used to his parents telling him to suck it up, that he was supposed to act his age and appreciate what he had since there were people who had it much worse off. Phil’s comforting nature was the polar opposite, and exactly what Dan needed in his lowest moments. “Seriously, thank you, Phil. So much. It’s really nice to be able to hear that. I guess eighteen years of being told to suck it up and let it go really took a toll on me.” He forced a short laugh.

“Oh, no worries, Dan. It’s what I’m here for.” Phil snuck a tender kiss onto Dan’s soft cheek. “Now, hey, what do you say to pulling the next cracker a little early today? I think that might be a good distraction.”

“Really? Oh sure, whatever, Phil,” Dan laughed incredulously, shaking his head. How Phil could possibly remember those damn crackers at a time like this was beyond him.

“There’s that Dan smile,” Phil cooed, jumping off the bed. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

When Phil returned, it was with a navy and white striped cracker proudly displaying a red number 14, a festive Santa hat perched atop his feathery head, and...was that My Chemical Romance’s version of All I Want for Christmas Is You playing out of his phone? Dan truly couldn’t believe Phil sometimes.

“Hey, you said this was one of your favourite Christmas songs!” Phil protested in response to Dan’s massive eye roll and shake of the head. Despite it all, both boys had huge smiles plastered to their faces.

“Yeah maybe in like 2009! But go ahead, Phil. I can’t imagine today’s surprise can be much worse than string.”

“Hey, it’s not just string! It’s a le--it’s meant to be something else,” Phil defended himself, but not before Dan caught his slip-up.

“A lee...? Phil, do you mean a leash?” Dan’s entire face lit up at the revelation. _Yes!_ He had finally figured out one of Phil’s gifts!

“I’m not telling you,” Phil backtracked, attempting to refocus Dan on their current cracker. “Alright, on the count of three?”

At the signal, the two boys tugged their ends of the festive object, with the small cardboard tube ending up in Dan’s hands this time. Greedily, Dan emptied out the tube to reveal (among the usual useless cracker crap)...a tiny Pikachu keychain? Okay, this was definitely better than the previous day’s apparent leash. He turned the small rubber object over to reveal yellow and brown detailing even on the back, with the lightning bolt tail and everything. “Phil, this is so cute! I don’t know if I’ll use him for my keys yet, but he’s definitely going on the mantle with all the other goodies. Thank you!” He leaned over to give the incredibly thoughtful boy an impulsive hug.

“Aww, I’m glad you like it,” Phil replied. “You don’t even have to use it, though. It’s just the smallest thing I could find that fit my criteria. Remember, it’s all part of a bigger picture,” he intoned mysteriously, making a circle with his hands to represent this “bigger picture”.

“Oh, alright,” Dan sighed, feeling slightly tired of hearing Phil’s constantly repeated explanation. This had better be a damn good picture if he was hyping it up this much. And so Dan finally threw off the covers, carrying the keychain over to the lounge with a newfound readiness to start his day. Really, with Phil by his side, what could possibly go wrong? (Okay, maybe a lot of things...but hopefully none of them related to Dan’s mental health.)

 

\--

 **15th December**  
“Oh, Danny boy!” Phil called into Dan’s bedroom, where he was uploading the day’s gamingmas video. “The pizza’s here! I’ve already got plates and Ribena set out and I’ve even got today’s cracker! I still don’t know what’s inside, but I know it’s a good one!” He waved a purple Christmas cracker with a black number 15 printed on it and Dan picked up a soft rattle coming from inside. He swiveled around in the butt chair, eyebrows just slightly raised in amusement.

“Well, you sure seem to be in a good mood tonight, Mr. Lester,” Dan quipped back, heart jumping both at allowing his subscribers to witness his latest creation and at Phil’s absolutely adorable appearance. His genuine Phil crinkle-eyed and tongue-sticking-out smile, paired with his grey fox jumper that somehow made him seem even more precious and his habit of bouncing on his toes when he got excited gave Dan yet another reason to fall in love with him all over again. “What brings this on?”

“It’s almost Christmas!” Phil nearly exploded, rushing over to shake Dan’s shoulders in a flurry of excitement. “And we finally got our first snow today and it’s really pretty and I really want you to see it!” Really, how was this man nearly thirty years old?

“It did?” Dan’s eyes widened in wonder. “I can’t believe I missed it because I was editing this monster of a Kinect Sports video.” He turned back to the monitor, where the processing bar was still stuck at 67%, then back to Phil with a childlike glint in his deep brown eyes. “Can I, can I watch it with you maybe?”

“That’s just what I was about to ask you! Come on, you can leave that for a while. Come with me, you can see it really well from the lounge!” He tugged on Dan’s arm with his free hand and Dan obligingly got up, stretching his legs for the first time in hours.

Upon entering the lounge, he was greeted with the delicious smell of marinara and cheese, a familiar twinkling Christmas tree, and a blanket of white outside the window. Heavy white flakes were still falling, giving the entire street a snow globe appearance. Phil snuck up behind him, laying his head in the crevice of Dan’s shoulder that seemed to be made just for him. The pearly white snow shone in the darkness as a wave of calm crashed over Dan’s entire being. In this moment, he had nearly everything he could ever want. All that was missing was a furry friend to nuzzle up against his legs and a mug of hot chocolate to warm his hands.

“This...this is beautiful, Phil. Thank you for showing this to me. You know, it really does feel like Christmas now,” Dan murmured, not wanting to break the spell cast by the snow.

“It really does,” Phil sighed, voice just as low as Dan’s. “I really think this Christmas is going to be our best yet, you know?”

“I sure hope so.” Dan finally tore his eyes away from the beautiful scene to gaze at the even more beautiful boy beside him, suddenly remembering the foil-wrapped tube in his hand. “Hey, what do you say we take this little party back to the couch? I think there’s one more thing that will make tonight even better.” Phil’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and delight. Dan backtracked. “I meant the cracker, you goof!” He lightly smacked Phil’s arm as the onyx-haired boy glanced back down at his hand, suddenly remembering what he was holding. “I think we can get up to some of that later, though,” Dan added with just the hint of a smirk.

Phil merely smirked back, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly as they headed over to the couch. Once both boys had settled down and grabbed each end of the cracker, a pull from both ends made it pull off into Phil’s hands tonight. Instinctively, Dan crawled over to cuddle needily against Phil and discover tonight’s surprise. With a firm shake from the boy in grey, out tumbled the usual useless goodies along with...a tiny plastic aqua and grey oven? So _that’s_ what was rattling earlier! A baffled laugh bubbled out as Dan exclaimed, “Okay seriously, how much more domestic can you get, Phil? And how come all these household items look exactly like Dil’s? Is there something I’m missing here?”

Phil’s Cheshire cat smile sent Dan reeling with both desire and agitation. “I’m telling you, I’m a locked safe until Christmas. Again, it’s all part of a bigger picture…” Phil’s reminder set gears turning in Dan’s head. As he positioned the oven next to the fridge, a puzzle piece finally clicked into place. All the furniture...and it was part of a bigger picture...they _had_ been discussing getting a proper house...but Phil couldn’t possibly be? Could he?

“Phil,” Dan turned to him with wide eyes, “this doesn’t mean...what I think it means?” He couldn’t even dare to hope.

“I don’t know, you tell me,” Phil shrugged with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.

“Phil, you can’t possibly be thinking of...of buying a house! There’s so much involved and...and what will our subscribers possibly think?”

“Well, you’ll have to see,” Phil mysteriously replied, but he wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all Dan. “Now what do you say to some pizza and Ribena? I swear, that smell is making me go insane!” His transparent attempt to redirect Dan’s attention only confirmed his suspicions. Phil was planning on buying a house! A real, actual house that was truly theirs, with no neighbours or countless flights of stairs that currently plagued their daily lives. What other thrilling surprises did Phil have in store for 2017? Dan refused to open himself up to the possibilities--there was much too high of a risk of disappointment. But who knows? With Phil, it seemed anything was possible--and Dan was more than willing to go along for the ride.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gamingmas stress, a Christmas party at PJ's, and childhood nostalgia all take the stage as Dan and Phil begin the second half of their December. But how long can Phil keep the mystery in his gifts before Dan starts to piece together his puzzle?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with me all the way through to part four! We’re getting closer to Christmas every day! How excited are you to uncover Phil's surprise? Well, sit back, relax, and grab a nice warm mug of your favorite drink because we’re about to dive straight into some incredibly domestic festive fluff! I hope you enjoy!!

**16th December**  
“Dan? Hey Dan, are you okay?” A deep voice suddenly broke through the dense cloud of thoughts eclipsing Dan’s mind. A blink and sharp headshake later and he was back in the lounge with a slightly concerned Phil staring at him from the other side of the sofa.

“Oh! I’m--I’m fine.” He shook his head again. “Just another existential crisis, I guess. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“Aww, Dan.” Phil’s tone was slightly pitying but not patronizing. “Well, if you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.”

“Thank you, Phil. Although you know what would be the best help?” Phil’s eyes brightened eagerly. That man would go to the ends of the earth to help Dan--and he honestly loved that about him. “I know it’s not dinner time yet but do you think we could pull today’s cracker? I could really use a distraction right now, I think.” Try as he might, he still couldn’t banish the existential ponderings weighing him down and sucking out all his motivation. Yes, there was a gamingmas video to edit and upload--but did that even matter when everything he put out was just a tiny blip in the grand scheme of the universe? It certainly didn’t help that today’s video was at least an hour-long beast of an Undertale video--how did his daily vlogger friends possibly do it?

“Absolutely!” Phil’s blinding smile was honestly a blessing. He dashed over to the rapidly emptying cardboard box behind the dining table, eventually pulling out a shiny red cracker with a black number 16. “You ready?” he asked as soon as both boys had a good grip on the smooth foil. After a nod from Dan, both parties gave their best tug and this time, the festive-looking tube ended up in Dan’s black sweater-covered hands. Some of the clouds in his mind cleared, leaving Dan feeling slightly better than he had a few minutes ago. After throwing aside the standard yellow paper hat and undoubtedly terrible joke, he emptied out...a white piece of cardboard with...were those _double eighth note earrings?_ Dan wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to swoon at the thoughtful gift. His heart swelled either way.

“Phil, these are...these are fantastic! They’re actually sort of beautiful, in a dorky way. But you know I haven’t worn earrings in years!” A short, slightly confused laugh bubbled out despite himself.

“Yes, I know that.” A mischievous grin had snuck onto Phil’s face. “But everyone wants you to start wearing them again. Including me. Put them on, pleeeaseee? If anything, just for me?” The mischievous look was replaced by the Manchester native’s best puppy dog eyes.

Dan sighed. How could he say no to that face he had loved for nearly eight years? “Oh alright, Phil. This may be the weirdest kink of yours I’ve witnessed so far,” he remarked as he pulled off the metal backings and attempted to poke the accessories through the holes in each of his ears. It hurt slightly, but he eventually pushed them both through, securing the backings and turning to show Phil each mildly red ear. “So? What do you think, Mr. Earring Kink?”

Phil smiled and shook his head at the ground. “I love it! It’s like 2013 Dan is back! Can I get a picture? I promise, this one’s just for me.” He batted his eyelashes innocently, grabbing his phone from the coffee table.

“Oh all right.” Dan tilted his head to give Phil his better angle, flashing an _I love you but seriously why are you making me do this_ grin. A few shutter sounds later and Phil gazed down at his results satisfactorily. “Awww Dan, you look great! Did that help you feel better at all?”

All of a sudden, Dan realized that Phil’s silly present and even sillier request had almost completely cleared the clouds from his mind. He still didn’t really want to work on the video yet, but somehow that incredibly thoughtful boy had managed to lift the weight from his chest. “Actually, yes. Thank you, Phil. I know I say that pretty much all the time but seriously, thank you. For everything that you do, just...thank you.” Dan burned his eyes directly into Phil’s so the enigmatic boy would know just how he felt.

Phil’s eyes seemed to melt into a lighter shade of blue that injected a liquid warmth throughout Dan’s body. “Oh, _Dan_ ,” he gushed, the smile on his face brighter than even the sun outside. “You know it’s no worries. Hey, do you want me to edit today’s video? I know you haven’t really seemed up for it.”

“You’ll do that? But Phil, it’s so much footage!”

“Absolutely.” With just one word, Dan could feel the absolute sincerity spilling out of Phil. “Don’t worry, I’ll work that AmazingPhil magic on there. You just be Dan today, alright?” Phil got up and gave Dan’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze before heading to the gaming room to grab the memory card containing the previous day’s footage. With a soft smile, Dan turned to the mantle to attempt to decipher Phil’s previous surprises. Hopefully that would completely chase the last of the stormy clouds from his mind. Thank goodness for that wonderfully dorky boy. Dan didn’t know what he would do without him sometimes.

 

\--

 **17th December**  
“Dan, you better not be thinking of wearing that potato sack jumper to PJ’s Christmas party tonight!” Phil was only half joking, but Dan laughed all the same.

“Um, are you referring to my Yeezy jumper, Phil?” Dan ran his hand down the soft oatmeal-coloured material. “I think you’re forgetting this is actually high fashion and extremely comfortable. I don’t think PJ would mind. Or anyone else there, for that matter.”

“Yeah, but _I_ mind,” Phil pouted. A split second later, his eyes had gained a wicked glint. “And if you don’t get it off yourself, I may as well do it for you.” His tongue flicked across his perfectly pink lips, sending Dan’s hormones absolutely mad.

“Oh, is that a challenge?” Suddenly, Dan didn’t care at all that they had to leave for Brighton in less than an hour. That was more than enough time for a quickie, right?

Phil’s eyes darted to the clock on Dan’s bedside table and just like that, some of the fire was extinguished from his eyes. It was quickly replaced with a new light, though. “Well, maybe later. But I was just thinking, we have just enough time for today’s cracker right now!”

“Really?” Dan’s stomach shook amusingly. “Well, I suppose we are going to be away for dinner tonight, so sure, Phil, why not?” And he followed the giddy boy out of the room, settling down in his signature black seldom-used dining chair. With a decent look at his boyfriend’s backside, he realized somewhat suddenly just how physically attractive Phil was. Really, how had he been lucky enough to snag him? There really was no “ugly” part about him. Every single centimeter, from the tips of his hair to his long, slender fingers was Dan’s definition of beauty. He finally turned around with a pine green-coloured cracker printed with a bright white number 17 and Dan attempted to arrange his features into something slightly less smitten. A smug look from Phil told him his efforts were to no avail. Thankfully, Phil didn’t mention it, choosing instead to focus on the cracker that was now between them.

“I think I remember what’s in this one and I think you’re really going to like it, Dan.” Phil started once he was seated, positively beaming as Dan took hold of the smooth foil wrapping. “Alright. And one...two...three!” Both boys scrunched up their faces and pulled on their respective ends. With a rather loud pop, the cracker pulled off into Dan’s tight grip and he eagerly tipped over the cardboard tube, heart jumping at the possibility of what might lay inside.

“Oh, if this one’s what I think it is, you might want to be careful with it,” Phil advised. Dan obediently handled it with a gentler grip, now immensely intrigued at what Phil could possibly have planned. Out on the table fell the standard cracker goodies (that Dan was honestly starting to get a little sick of, as they just prolonged his surprise--although maybe that was the point), along with...a small ceramic book? Dan leaned in to get a closer look, only to find that it was painted to look like TABINOF. His eyes welled up with emotion. This was actually one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen--second only to Phil, of course. Someone had actually gone out of their way to make this! He was honestly floored.

“Phil, this is...this is actually fantastic. I...I honestly have no words. How did you get this?”

“It was one of the Crafty Corner submissions! I knew you would love it, so I decided to keep it as a surprise and I’m so glad I did. Your reaction is honestly priceless. I’m so happy you like it!” Phil’s smile was enough to send Dan’s heart soaring.

“I love it! God, we really do have the best audience. Thank you, Phil.” Dan reached over to tightly embrace the generous boy. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, I think we had something else planned?” His eyebrows wiggled up and down suggestively.

“Dan!” Phil shoved him, eyes bright with mirth. “No! We’re leaving in twenty minutes! Do you really want to be late for the train again?”

“Oh come on, it wouldn’t take _that_ long…” Dan pleaded, even though he knew it was a lost cause. Seeing Phil’s face, he harrumphed, “Oh all _right_. Now, are we going to be that dorky couple who shows up in matching Christmas jumpers like you so badly wanted yesterday, or am I allowed to wear my potato sack?”

“Can you at least consider the matching jumpers?” Dan wasn’t going to be convinced so easily by Phil’s begging eyes. At least, not yet. “It’s not that dorky, I promise!”

“But I’ve already got this on,” Dan wheedled back, fingering his jumper. “And it’s so comfy!”

“Pleeeaaaasseee?” Phil’s long eyelashes fluttered adorably. “I promise we can do whatever you want as soon as we come back home.”

“Whatever I want? Well, in that case…” Dan got up with a smirk, heading back to his room to change. He hated to give in so easily, but Phil drove a hard bargain.

A distant “Yay! Thank you, bear!” drifted in from the lounge and Dan smiled softly to himself. Matching Christmas jumpers would really seal the deal on their 2016 “rebranding”--but he was sure his friends, out of all people, would understand.

 

\--

 **18th December**  
“When you were younger, did you ever drive around your neighbourhood with your family just to look at fairy lights?” Dan suddenly piped up, breaking the comfortable _Pokemon_ playing near silence with a side glance at his best friend.

Phil twisted to the right for a better look at Dan. “Yeah, of course! That’s one of my favourite Christmas memories! Why do you say that?” His eyebrows crinkled in the cutest way. Dan was suddenly transported back to that second day they spent together, giggling over glabella stroking and plush lions and everything in between.

“Well, I was just looking at how pretty our tree is and how cosy it looks with the fire and everything and it reminded me of doing that with my family. It’s one of my favourite memories too. I kind of miss it sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love London and all, but sometimes I miss living in an actual house, you know?” Dan swore he saw Phil’s lips twitch up at that last remark, but maybe it was just a trick of the twinkling lights.

“Aww no Dan, I totally understand that. Leicester Square is fantastic and all, but it’s really not personal enough. There really is nothing like a neighbourhood, especially a familiar one.” Phil’s eyes were full of understanding paired with a hint of nostalgia, completely matching Dan’s feelings.

“Exactly! Sometimes I feel like we’ve gotten everything we can out of London, you know? Like, we mostly came here for Radio 1 but now that’s over and I feel like it’s time to start a new chapter in a new place. Maybe in Brighton with PJ and Sophie and Felix and Marzia and maybe with a dog too?” Dan twisted his lips up slyly, but Phil suddenly looked uncomfortable. He set his 3DS aside and stood up quite suddenly, immediately wiping the grin from Dan’s face.

“That would be really great,” he agreed, adding, “but you know what, all this talk about Christmas traditions reminded me that we never did our cracker today!” He scurried over to the familiar box, leaving Dan utterly baffled. Did Phil want to stay in London after all? Did the prospect of moving frighten him too much? He turned around with a bright grin, brandishing a silver cracker printed with a sunny yellow number 18. Dan decided to set his concerns aside for now and focus on the surprise waiting for him.

Once both boys had grabbed their respective ends, a sharp tug and a pop pushed the cracker into Phil’s hands. Dan scooted over to press his chilly body against Phil’s cuddly warm one and eagerly watched the black-haired boy empty the cardboard tube of mystery. Besides the usual cracker junk, out fell...a Totoro keychain? Wait a minute. That looked strangely familiar…

“Phil?” Dan’s unending peal of laughter left him gasping. “Is that one of those Totoro keychains we had back in 2011? I can't believe you still have those!”

“Okay, I may have started to run out of ideas by this point. But it's a lot more exciting than it seems, trust me,” Phil promised, tickling Dan’s nose with the fuzzy creature.

Dan grabbed the keychain by its large metal ring with a fond eye roll, setting it next to the little neko on the tiny couch.

“Sure Phil, whatever you say. But thank you bean, that is really cute. It reminds me of all the good times we had back in Manchester.” He swiped his lips along Phil’s temple in appreciation.

“Well good, I’m glad you appreciate it,” Phil smiled peacefully. Dan allowed his head to fall on his wonderful boyfriend’s shoulder, feeling a rush of appreciation that he had someone so great in his life. Phil really was one of a kind. Dan could only hope that the northern native knew just how much he meant to him--because really, Phil was his whole world. And Dan didn't want that to ever change.

 

\--

 **19th December**  
“Remind me again to never leave my Christmas shopping until the week before,” Dan sighed as he and Phil entered their London apartment, arms nearly overflowing with plastic bags.

“Hey, after the year we've had, Christmas honestly snuck up on us all. But just remember, starting next week, we get a massive reset button. And I, for one, honestly can't wait.” Dan managed a small smile even in his grumpy state. Phil’s understanding truly was a blessing. “Now what do you say we pull today’s cracker before I edit today’s gamingmas video?” The two boys dropped their bags on the dining table with matching grunts, Phil immediately heading for the box behind the table, now with only a few bright-coloured tubes left.

“Oh sure, why not?” Dan's amusement leaked into his voice as he set off for his sofa crease. Phil really was so persistent about those damn crackers. Today’s must be a good one.

Phil’s radiant face helped to clear a few of the dark clouds in Dan’s mind, along with the enticing secret that lay inside the sky blue cracker printed with a white number 19, this one slightly bigger than the others. Dan couldn't possibly imagine what could be inside that would warrant the use of a bigger cracker. Anticipation flowed through him as he held tightly to his end while Phil pulled. He wanted that cracker all to himself today. Sure enough, the fat tube remained in Dan’s grip and he earnestly dumped it out to reveal the normal cracker goodies (honestly, he was surprised Phil still kept those in) and...a black fabric collar embroidered with bones and food bowls? Phil’s blinding smile seemed to be taking up his entire face. It was way too small for either of them to use as an accessory, so was this...was this what Dan thought it was?

“Phil,” he breathed, eyes starting to mist over with the realisation. “This can’t be...this isn’t...but we don’t...are you...are you planning something, Phil?”

“Well, you’ll have to find out, won’t you?” Dan swore Phil’s smile grew even bigger, something he didn’t even believe possible. He wanted to tackle that beautiful expression off his face and force Phil to tell him the truth, but he only just restrained himself, choosing to set the collar next to the tiny leash instead.

“So I’m starting to see your plan has something to do with a dog and I think I’m actually more excited for this Christmas than I was for the year I got my first PlayStation.” You could actually hear the smile in Dan’s voice. “You’re not going to tell me if I’m right or not though, are you?”

“You’ll have to wait and see-eee,” Phil repeated in an infuriating singsong.

Dan merely raised his eyebrows in challenge. “Not even if I poke you to death? Or tickle you? I’m not afraid to bring out the tickle monster again!” He drew his hands into claws, creeping them ever so slowly to the black-haired boy next to him.

Noooo!” A giggling Phil squealed, curling into a ball and wrapping his arms around his sides in a pitiful show of defense.

“It’s coming whether you like it or not, Phil,” Dan smirked, fingers inching ever closer. “Unless you’d like to tell me your Christmas present? It would save you a lot of trouble, you know.”

“No!” Phil giggled again. “Santa never reveals his secrets!” He lightly smacked Dan’s hands away, but it did nothing to ward off the black-jumpered trickster.

“So that’s how it’s gonna be? Well, you asked for it, Phil!” And Dan went in for the attack, showing no mercy as giggles erupted from both noodle-like boys. His fingers ran all over Phil, despite the sapphire-eyed boy’s meager attempts to stop him.

“Dan! I have a video to edit!” But Phil made no move to get up.

“Oh come on, did you really think we were actually going to upload every day until Christmas? Because I think there’s something even more important and he’s sitting right here!”

“Dan!” Phil gasped, fighting for breath. “There will be plenty of time for this tonight, come on!”

But Dan wasn’t about to give up that easily. “Oh come on, Phil! Just tell me we’re getting a dog, please? It’ll be so much easier for both of us!”

“Never!” Phil finally scrambled off the couch, leaving a pouting Dan pathetically reaching his arms out like a rag doll in a meager attempt to pull Phil back to him. “You’ll find out on Christmas! Trust me, it’ll be all worth it then!” And he scurried off to the editing iMac, leaving Dan feeling quite unfulfilled and now positively bursting with anticipation.

 

\--

 **20th December**  
For Dan, there really was nothing like sitting down to play an old favourite piano piece. Feeling your fingers flying across the keys, knowing that you were producing that beautiful melody--it was the ultimate sense of fulfillment. Forget making videos--when Dan sat at the piano, everything seemed to fall into place. No matter what happened that day, he could play to his heart’s content. He only wished he was a little better, so he could play some of the things he’d always dreamed of.

Suddenly, in the middle of _Ingenue_ , a bony chin came to rest on his shoulder, shaking Dan back to reality. Still partly in his music-induced fog, Dan turned his head ever so slightly to glimpse those beautiful kaleidoscopic eyes with the softest look he ever did see.

“I was wondering where that beautiful sound was coming from. That was nice, Dan, thank you,” Phil’s voice was just above a whisper, his lips tickling Dan’s neck enticingly.

“Well hello to you too,” Dan smiled, skin heating up everywhere Phil’s impossibly pink lips touched.

“Have I ever told you how great you are? You’re really fantastic, Dan. And I’m not just saying that.”

“But you don’t have anything to compare me to. For all you know, I could actually be terrible.” Their voices never raised in the slightest. It was like they were in their own little world, just the two boys and the piano.

“Nothing that beautiful could ever be terrible Dan, trust me. I’ve always wanted to play like that. Do you think you could teach me?”

Dan inspected Phil’s face to see if he was joking, but his eyes showed nothing but sincerity. “Oh sure, Phil, why not?” And he made room for the lovely boy on the bench, gently guiding his cracked hands through the song he knew like his beloved sofa crease, their matching soft giggles punctuating the air whenever Phil flubbed a note.

Their not-so-synchronized playing continued for a while until Phil finally piped up, “Hey, it’s nearly 2 in the morning and we still haven’t done our cracker for today,” his voice still as soft as velvet.

“Oh my god, how could I possibly forget that? Especially after yesterday?” By now, the ambiance in the room had been completely broken, Dan’s mind immediately jumping to his dog realisation from the previous day. “If it’s past midnight does this mean we get to pull two crackers?” He turned to Phil with huge eyes, blinking them ever so flirtatiously.

“Patience, young padawan,” Phil replied. “We have the entire day for the next one, come on.” And he took Dan by the hand, pulling him off the bench and into the lounge, gently pushing him onto the sofa like a posable doll. Dan, slightly miffed, chose to say nothing and instead focus on the surprise waiting inside the bright orange cardboard cylinder with a pink number 20 that Phil had quickly procured. He decided to let Phil actually have a go at trying to win this time, so he gave his best tug, but after a soft pop, the cracker still ended up in Dan’s slightly shaky hands.

This time, it was Phil’s turn to press his body against Dan. The two boys eagerly watched the cracker deposit its usual goodies into Dan’s right hand, along with...was that possibly the most intricate little box that Dan had ever seen? Ornately decorated with leaves and vines, it sat heavily in the palm of Dan’s hand with a miniscule metal key dangling from the back. Dan could hardly believe his eyes. This was absolutely beautiful...and Phil had gotten it for him? He turned to Phil with shining eyes, hoping his expression would make up for his inability to speak.

Phil’s face was glowing just as brightly as it had the night of the BONCAs. “Go on, open it!” he instructed, snuggling up even closer to Dan, who drew the key around to the front of the box, fit it in the hole, and twisted it. The top of the box opened just enough to show off a scene of two young men embracing in the snow as the unmistakable notes of Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire floated up in the air. If Dan was speechless before, he was utterly floored now. How had Phil possibly done this? The intricacy, the attention to detail, even the addition of his favourite Christmas song--this was all too much. Actual tears welled up in his eyes as he turned again to Phil, the literal embodiment of sunshine.

“Do you like it?” Phil asked, but all Dan could do was nod, tackling his incredibly thoughtful boyfriend with a bear hug and a million kisses all over his face. They remained in each other’s arms for the rest of the night, eventually falling asleep on the sofa in the comfortable warmth of the other’s embrace. It certainly wasn’t the first time this had happened--although a niggling voice in the back of his mind told Dan it might just be the last.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Dan and Phil household as we grow ever closer to the big day! Get ready for a flashback to Christmases past, some last-minute present wrapping, a mistletoe surprise, and some holiday baking because this festive train ain't stopping until we reach the big C!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is! Part five of A Festive Quest and Phil’s still going strong with those Christmas crackers! Have you started to piece some things together now? I can’t believe we’re almost up to Christmas and the fluff is still flying--I hope you enjoy!!

**21st December**  
Something about the snow falling outside just made Dan’s heart tug, although not altogether unpleasantly. Staring out their huge lounge window, he blinked and suddenly was transported back to 2009 and the first Christmas he had spent with Phil. When not filming the Christmas Adventure videos, they had spent the majority of Dan’s stay just playing and exploring each other in the endless abyss of snow covering Phil’s garden. 

It had started after Dan had catapulted himself off the ledge and into the fluffy white stuff for the video and soon felt a heavy, warm body land on him from behind. He didn’t even need to turn his flushed face to know that it was Phil. They giggled like four-year-olds for the rest of the day, holding gloved hands while making snow angels, hurling poorly made balls of frozen water at each other, and even building a hideously lopsided snowman before finally trooping back inside for some delicious hot chocolate, snuggling together for warmth. The image of Phil’s adorable pink cheeks and even pinker nose, ice blue eyes crinkled in laughter over something Dan had said, still burned in his mind to this day. The rush of affection for the young man in front of him washed over Dan just as intensely as it had all those years ago. 

Without thinking, those three little words had just tumbled out of his mouth. Dan’s heart stopped for the briefest of seconds, but once those words were out in the open, there was no way he could take them back--and he really didn’t want to. It was like time had ceased to exist for the two of them in that moment. Phil’s eyes widened and he pulled Dan into him for the most electrifying kiss he had yet experienced, suddenly feeling burning hot even in the -8 degree weather. After a lifetime, Phil finally pulled away, whispering, “I love you too, Dan,” and it was like that final puzzle piece had clicked into place. In that moment, Phil was all he could possibly need. _Oh, to be young and in love._ Sometimes, Dan seriously missed those days.

“What are you thinking about?” Phil’s musing voice snapped Dan back to the present as he set twin mugs of hot chocolate on the coffee table for each of them, just like his mum had seven years ago.

“Oh nothing, just remembering our first Christmas together. We were such idiots back then but somehow it was still one of the best Christmases of my life.”

“Was it really?” Phil’s eyes widened like an anime character’s. “Oh Dan, you don’t know how happy that makes me!” He lifted the huge blanket covering Dan’s legs and snuggled underneath it, resting his head on the mahogany-eyed boy’s black jumper-clad shoulder.

Dan smiled softly. “Yeah, I thought you knew that. My house was pretty much a battlefield of tension, but yours was like the breath of fresh air that I so sorely needed. I had the first truly happy Christmas that I had had in a long time. And it was all thanks to you and your amazing family, Phil. You made me feel welcome when I hadn’t felt welcomed anywhere else, and just...that meant so much to me. Thank you, Phil.”

“Dan, you’re actually going to make me cry!” Sure enough, Phil’s angel eyes were already misting over. “I never knew just how much that meant to you. I was just happy to spend my favourite time of year with my favourite person. And your reaction when you opened that dinosaur I got you was honestly the purest thing I had ever seen. I wanted to bottle it up and take it with me everywhere.”

Dan couldn’t help giggling at that. “It really was the best present I had ever gotten at that point. It may have been cheesy as fuck but it was perfect. I still can’t believe it survived three moves.”

Phil’s lips curled up in a secret smile. What could possibly be on his mind now? “Hey speaking of presents, I’ve got a really great one in store for us today. Wanna pull today’s cracker now?” He was already off the couch when Dan replied, “Oh sure, why not?” Today’s cracker, he discovered, was a deep forest green with a grey number 21. Upon his return, Phil crawled back under the plush fleece blanket, holding the cracker out for Dan to grab. After a skillful pull from each of the boys and a loud pop, the cracker pulled off into Phil’s earnest hands. Bridging the small bit of space between them to get a close-up view of the newest surprise, Dan watched Phil empty out a golden paper hat, a slim slip of white paper, and...was that the smallest kitchen sink Dan had ever seen? Just like all the other household items, this one was periwinkle and bronze to match Dil’s. Okay, so if the Dilhouse wasn't a thing, then maybe it was just a coincidence that these happened to match Dil’s furniture? Maybe Phil wanted to create a life-size version of the Howlter residence? No, that was too crazy, even for Phil. Maybe a kitchen sink to Dan wasn't just a kitchen sink to Phil. He couldn't help eking out a giggle as Phil held the plastic object out to him to investigate.

“I know it's not exactly the most obvious one, but hey, I was running out of ideas,” Phil explained with a shrug.

“Hey, don't worry about it, it's fine!” Dan reassured him. “I love that you made all the household items look like Dil’s, even if it does throw me off a bit. I will figure it out before Christmas, though, Phil. Just you wait.” And he snatched the sink from Phil’s hand, positioning it next to the small green fridge with a knowing grin.

“Sure, whatever you say, Dan.” Phil's infuriatingly teasing voice left Dan torn between wanting to smack him and wanting to fuck him senseless. He chose to resist his urges, though, and just stuck his tongue out at the other boy instead before turning his attention back to the snow falling thick and fast outside. He cuddled back up against Phil, unable to resist his warmth and softness for more than a second, as he took a generous sip from Phil’s expertly made hot chocolate. The sweet liquid slithered down his throat, not too hot and not too cold, but just right. Snuggled up against his loving boyfriend with the perfect view of their twinkling Christmas tree and the soft white snow outside, he couldn't help feeling like the subject of a disgustingly happy painting. But deep down, he knew, he wouldn't trade this contentment for the world.

 

\--

 **22nd December**  
“Wrapping presents is seriously impossible!” a tired Phil harrumphed, throwing his lumpy creation down with a deep sigh. At this point, it barely even resembled the box it was supposed to contain.  
Dan couldn’t stop himself from giggling in response. “You just have to make tight edges, Phil. What is that even supposed to be anyway?”

“Well, it was this really nice bauble for my mum, but it’s starting to look more like the dinosaur on my jumper.” Phil giggled too, albeit slightly dejectedly. “And whenever I try to do tight edges, it always rips.” Turning large puppy dog eyes over to Dan, he added, “Could you do it for me? Pleeeaase? You’re so much better at this than I am.”

“You do this every year,” Dan sighed, fondly rolling his eyes. “Give it to me.” And he snatched the miserable-looking object from Phil’s limp grasp, ripping off the lumpy monstrosity and expertly wrapping it in a new sheet of Dan and Phil Shop paper (they were again too busy to buy anything different), even tying on a bow of curled ribbon at the end before handing it back over to Phil with a smug grin. “That’s how you do it, sweetheart.”

Phil gazed slack-jawed at the object, as if he had never seen a present before. “What kind of sorcery was that, Howell? I swear, your fingers just flew across that paper!”

Dan threw his head back in laughter, nearly drowning out the festive tunes floating from their home theater speakers. “Phil, your bafflement is honestly too cute. Seriously, it’s not that hard! You can do it, come on, I know you can.”

“Well, maybe,” Phil sighed, picking up a book for Martyn and laying it on the paper with an even more bewildered expression than before. “Your crackers were seriously so much easier. Hey, that reminds me!” He glanced back at Dan, a new light in his eyes.

“No, Phil,” Dan stopped him before he could even open his mouth. “I want to pull that cracker as much as you, trust me, but _after_ we finish these presents. Come on, it’ll be so much better if we get this done.”

“Oh al _right_ ,” Phil resigned, turning back to the festive explosion before them. After a couple hours of cutting and taping and the occasional bant and singalong, Phil finally stuck on his final bow with a flourish worthy of Dan himself. “Done!” he declared, feeling immensely proud of himself. “Can I get a kiss now?”

“Oh sure, why not?” Dan really couldn’t say no to that face, green bow still perched atop his black hair from an earlier bout of playfulness, making him look like Dan’s perfect present. He pressed his perennially chapped lips onto Phil’s just long and hard enough to express his pride and true appreciation for the man sat before him. “Okay, now cracker time!” Dan declared once they had finally broken apart. “I think I'm getting really close to figuring some things out now!”

“Oh, are you?” Phil fired back mysteriously, already on his way over to the now nearly empty box. By this point, it took him no time at all to find the white cracker printed with a bright green number 22 and return to where Dan was still sitting on the floor. Following a generous tug from both ends, the cracker pulled off into Phil’s hands. Again, Dan crawled over next to Phil to discover the latest gift. After emptying out the standard terrible joke slip and proudly placing the blue crown atop his head, Phil reached back into the cracker to procure...a Haru keychain? He dangled it proudly in Dan’s face, who let out a trademark loud, musical laugh. Leave it to Phil to surprise him with a massively cringey toy version of the anime character he harbored a not so secret crush on.

“Really? Haru, Phil? You're just mocking me for my pillow now, aren't you?” Dan snatched the keychain from its dangling place on Phil’s finger to get a closer look at it.

“He's so cute though! And I know how much you _looveee_ Haru-chan.” Okay, aside from the cringe factor, it was pretty cute. Dan looked back up to find a sweet smile dancing across Phil’s face, nearly matching that of little Haru’s. He bopped Phil’s nose with the soft figure, quickly getting up and setting the gift near the other keychains on their now quite crowded mantle before Phil could retaliate. Taking a moment to run his eyes over all the little gifts, Dan was suddenly struck by a rush of appreciation for Phil and his elaborate plan. He seriously couldn't imagine how Phil’s Christmas Day surprise could possibly top all this, but knowing Phil, he'd somehow find a way. He may be miserable at wrapping presents, but he was the most expert gift giver Dan had ever met--and sometimes, he still couldn't believe how lucky he was to have Phil in his life. But have him he did, and one thing was for sure: he never wanted to let this wonderful catch go. So, with a newfound spirit (or maybe that was just the wine he had enjoyed while wrapping presents), he danced over to Phil in time with the music, twirling him all the way to the bedroom, where they spent quite an enjoyable night beneath those colourful sheets.

 

\--

 **23rd December**  
Stumbling together through the door of the flat, suddenly, Dan had an urgent desire to kiss Phil. He was right next to him, sharing his warmth, those lips so close--but of course, they had to unload their goodies, courtesy of Marzia’s meticulous planning. Maybe it was the one too many margaritas he had enjoyed, but something in Dan made him want Phil like a young child wants attention. So, as soon as both boys had shed their coats and gift bags, Dan scampered off into the hallway, slipping out a stolen surprise from his dark denim pocket and dangling it above his head, a wide smile fighting its way onto his face.

“Dan? Where’d you go?” A concerned voice called from the lounge. Uh oh. Well, hopefully Phil wasn’t too upset.

“You’ll have to find me, Philly!” Dan teased in his most seductive voice, licking his lips in an effort to make them less chapped.

Seconds later, Phil traipsed out into the hallway, shaking his head in chagrin. “You little shit. You stole that from the party, didn’t you?”

Dan’s smile grew even bigger now that Phil was right in front of him again. He was so _cute!_ Of course, he had always been cute, but tonight was different. Maybe it was the button-down shirt? Dan could never resist a good button-down, especially on Phil. “Yep,” he giggled, eyes tracing Phil up and down hungrily. “And you know what you have to do now that you’re under it!” Dan wiggled his eyebrows up and down while both boys giggled like schoolgirls.

“You’re so ridiculous, Dan. But you know I can’t resist you.” And so he grabbed Dan’s back ever so gently, dipping him right in the middle of the hallway and smashing their lips together. In his surprise, Dan let the mistletoe flutter to the floor, grabbing Phil in his arms and kissing back like he could never get enough. Even in his slightly tipsy state, he knew he never wanted this moment to end, but of course Phil had to pull away eventually, breathing in sharply and saying, “You know, that was fantastic, but there is still one more Christmas tradition we have left today.” He raised his eyebrows in question, and Dan had to laugh again.

“Oh of course, I can’t believe I forgot today’s cracker! This one has to be good, we’re getting down to the last two.” He followed Phil into the lounge, plopping down on the couch to wait while Phil crouched down behind the dining table to retrieve a silver cracker with a gold number 23, letting it tickle Dan’s nose as he returned with a look of pride that told Dan he was really in for a treat tonight.

“I saved the best two for last, so I think you’re really going to love this one. Are you ready?” And without thinking, Dan grabbed his end and pulled, nearly throwing himself backward with the force, but still winning the cracker anyway. With a triumphant grin, he impatiently dumped out the cardboard tube to reveal the usual white joke slip and red paper hat, along with...well, it seemed to be stuck, whatever it was. Dan banged the cracker against his leg until it finally revealed...the mini TATINOF set James had designed? Dan thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest. He honestly didn’t believe he was ever going to see this again, especially after TATINOF had ended. Suddenly, a waterfall of memories washed over him, from the glittering stage lights to the thousands of fans he had met to the crazy tour bus journeys and the unforgettable feeling of being back onstage, where he truly belonged. Every performance, no matter where they were, he got to relive that rush of performing and get a glimpse at the life he was so sure he had thrown away for good. And best of all, he got to do it all with his favourite person in the entire world. He turned to that very person now, choked up, unsure of what to say, but knowing that this was possibly the greatest gift anyone had given to him.

“Phil, I...I never thought I’d see this again. Thank you so much. You don’t even know how much I miss TATINOF sometimes.” The tears were streaming freely down his face now, but Dan barely noticed.

“Awwww you’re welcome, sweetie,” Phil’s ice blue eyes were full of love in what was possibly the softest expression Dan had ever seen. “James was actually really happy to give it back when he found out what it was for. Now come on, come here, you big disgusting sap.” And he opened his arms to Dan, who lovingly fell into them, grateful that Phil knew exactly what he needed. It felt so good to finally let out his feelings about the end of the tour, especially as he had pretty much constantly been too busy to dwell on them. But as sad as he was about closing the door on their fantastic 2016, he knew their 2017 was about to be even better--and thankfully, full of much more relaxation time, something they both sorely needed.

 

\--

 **24th December**  
“Can I just say, I’m so glad we’re not filming this right now!” Dan said just before bursting into fits of uncontrollable giggles. Their kitchen honestly looked like a disaster area. Various baking utensils lay haphazardly across the counters before them, while ingredients dangled precariously off the countertops behind them. At least the mixture was starting to smell good. Dan took a nice, hearty whiff out of the slightly too-small bowl, sneakily dipping his finger in the soft substance when Phil’s back was turned.

“I’ve gotta agree with you there,” Phil replied over the running water as he cleaned off the big wooden spoon. “Although this is actually a lot more tame than the monster pops, I have to say.” Finishing off with the spoon, he set it in the drying rack and turned around just as Dan swiped his flour-covered finger across Phil’s cheek. “Alright, maybe I spoke too soon. Come here, you!” And Phil gathered up a handful of their sugary dough, aiming it at an escaping Dan, who squealed just as Phil threw the mixture at him. But of course, he was too fast, and the fluffy substance merely splattered on the floor in front of the fridge.

“Phil!” Dan chastised, laughing down at the now-ruined floor. “We don’t have a dog to clean this up! What are you expecting to do about it?”

“You clean it up?” Phil suggested, batting his eyelashes, but Dan wasn’t about to fall for that so easily.

“I don’t think so, mister. You threw it, you clean it up!” And he reached back into the bowl for his own handful, smearing it all over the back of Phil’s jeans even as the older boy jumped back with a yelp.

“Dan! We need this for the Christmas cookies! I’m not showing up at my parents’ tomorrow evening with nothing! And you aren’t either!” Phil smacked his obnoxiously bright red Christmas jumper-clad shoulder with the newly clean wooden spoon.

Dan made a face in response, but just barely restrained himself from desecrating the adorable boy in front of him. He shifted his attention to the ingredient bowl then, kneading his hands into the mixture, rolling it between his palms while Phil took to flouring the counter. Once the ingredients were successfully conglomerated, he smacked the big sugary ball down on the newly floured surface, albeit a little too forcefully.

“Whoa there, partner,” Phil said in a terrible American accent. “We’re _not_ filming this, remember?”

“I can’t help it, baking just gets me frickin zazzed!” Dan giggled, biting his lip as he watched Phil slide the rolling pin over the mixture, flattening it out nicely. Dan reached behind Phil to grab the first cookie cutter, dropping it on the dough as soon as Phil had stepped back, carving out a Christmas tree with a highly inappropriate groan. Phil shoved him in protest, rolling his eyes hopelessly.

“Dan, I swear, if you don’t behave I will cancel all our plans for tomorrow. And you’ll never find out the surprise I’ve had up my sleeve for months now,” Phil threatened with only the tiniest glint of amusement behind his stoic eyes.

Dan glanced up at Phil in shock, nearly destroying the Christmas tree cookie he was attempting to pick up. “No!” he gasped. “You wouldn’t do that! Would you?”

“Maybe,” Phil shrugged, mouth curling up ever so slightly. “Let’s hope we don’t find out!” And so it was a much tamer Dan who finished cutting out his various cookies and placed them carefully on his tray while a peaceful Phil did the same next to him. Together, they slid the trays in the oven, breathing a sigh of relief at knowing the hardest part of their job was over.

“Hey Dan, I know what we can do while these guys are in the oven,” Phil piped up, an anxious glint in his eye. “I have one more surprise for you. And I know you’re going to love this one. Do you wanna…?” His eyes ran all over Dan, who grinned.

A thrill coursed through Dan’s veins at the realisation of making it to the end of Phil’s crazy maze. “Oh my god, yes!” he replied, scurrying into the lounge and onto the couch. Phil followed close behind, stopping to grab the final cracker from the big cardboard box. This one was much bigger than all the others, with gold painted cardboard and a large red number 24. Dan couldn’t possibly imagine what could be inside, but he knew it had to be good.

And so, grabbing his end from Phil for the final time that year, Dan gave an almighty tug, and after a satisfyingly loud pop, successfully pulled the cracker off. He lifted it over his head in victory for just a second while Phil smiled fondly, then quickly brought it back down to empty it out. Inside, he discovered the usual bad joke, a gold paper hat that he placed proudly atop his head, and...a plushie Shiba Inu? It was about the size of a Beanie Baby, with caramel and white fur and the sweetest expression Dan had ever seen. Eyes flicking back and forth between a beaming Phil and the toy dog in his hands, suddenly, the final piece clicked in Dan’s brain. An ecstatic smile slowly grew on his face as he gasped, elation flooding his entire being, part of his brain screaming at him to refuse to believe it to be true, but a bigger part screaming even louder at it to shut up as he tackled Phil onto his back, peppering his face with hundreds of tiny kisses, tears streaming from his eyes and his heart going a million miles a second. All of his dreams from the last three years were coming true! He was going to get a dog, a real actual dog to call his and Phil’s own, and it was all thanks to the beautiful man giggling beneath him.

“Phil, just...thank you. Thank you so much,” Dan gasped once he had fully let out his emotions, sitting back and beaming in wonder at the incredibly generous man before him, whose face completely reflected Dan’s joy. “This is the best Christmas present I’ve ever been given. Thank you so, _so_ much.” He really could never thank Phil enough. How had he been so lucky to end up with this angel in his life?

“Well, I knew you liked plushies Dan, but I didn’t realize they would get this reaction out of you,” Phil giggled, hands forming a teepee in front of his nose.

Dan whacked his arm with the soft Shibe. “Not the plushie, you dingus. I meant what it stands for! Do you already have a dog picked out? Are we going to see him tomorrow?” It was like Dan was six years old again, staring down the clock, needing time to speed up so it could be Christmas already. It was only 10 PM now, but suddenly, his only wish right this moment was for a fast forward button.

“You’ll have to wait and see-eeee,” Phil singsonged as the oven started beeping. Dan was seriously impressed at Phil for never once cracking this entire month. And as he followed the tall boy back into the kitchen, he knew with absolute certainty that the next day was about to be the best Christmas of his entire life, all because of the wonderful planning of the ebony-haired genius in front of him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! It's finally the big day and Phil wants to be sure his meticulous plan runs smoothly. With a surprise appearance from a favourite friend and a sack full of tricks, nothing will deter him from giving Dan his best Christmas ever. But what does Dan think of the onslaught of surprises? Will it all be too much for him? It all ends here!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU for sticking with me all the way to the end of this crazy journey, if you've read all the way up to here!! (If you haven't and are just skipping ahead--what are you doing?? Go back and read the rest please, I'll still be here!) Are you ready for the perfect Dan and Phil Christmas? Well, strap yourself in because this is going to be quite the festive ride! I hope you enjoy and that you have a wonderful holiday season, regardless of whether or not you celebrate it, and a fantastic new year! Merry Christmas! :D

**Christmas Day**

The next morning, Dan woke up to the turbulent feeling of an undulating mattress underneath him and Mariah Carey’s loud vibrato blaring from somewhere beside him. Blinking open his bleary eyes, he found a giddy Phil, already dressed in his best Christmas jumper, his perky butt bouncing atop the colourful sheets.

“Dan! Dan, Dan, Dan! Get up! It’s Christmas!! And I’ve got a super special day planned for us today! Come on!” Dan smiled fondly at Phil in his half-asleep stupor. He was so happy to experience this Phil, the epitome of festivity and childlike enthusiasm. He took his time waking up, stretching and glancing out the window at the peaceful white scene outside, as an impatient Phil danced around the room, ensuring everything was in order before they both left to visit their respective families later that night.

“Merry Christmas, bean,” Dan smiled softly once he had finally slithered out of bed, planting a short but loving kiss atop Phil’s feathery head.

“Merry Christmas, bear,” Phil murmured back, adding, “I’ve got a full day planned for us today, how fast do you think you can be ready?”

“How fast can I get ready?” Dan laughed. “You’re talking to the king of five-minute rushing! Give me twenty and I’m all yours, okay babe?” And with a brief shoulder squeeze, Dan was off to shower, leaving Phil to check some last-minute plans on his phone, a sneaky glint in his eyes and a matching smile twitching its way across his flushed face.

Just as he had predicted, Dan strode back into Phil’s room exactly twenty minutes later. “So, Mr. Philly Claus, what is this genius plan you’ve got for us on this fine Christmas day?”

Phil flipped over onto his right side on the bed to get a better view of Dan, face lighting up brighter than the sun outside. “I really do love that shirt on you,” he sighed, eyes running up and down Dan’s black collared shirt with the zipper instead of buttons, so simple and yet so irresistible on his lovely form. “But anyway!” He leapt up off the bed, guiding Dan out of the room. “First of all, I’ve rearranged some of the cracker gifts. You did a really good job at organising them, but now they’re all in their respective groups. Hopefully that will help you get somewhat of an idea of how the day will go. And then we’ve got a train to catch!” Steering Dan into the familiar lounge, he let his hands linger on the younger boy’s shoulders as he gazed up at the five neat groups atop the mantle.

Sure enough, Dan’s grouping wasn’t completely off, as all the furniture remained together on the far left, along with the little plastic box from the beginning of the month. The llama, however, was moved from its place with the other animals to the far right end with the toy train, mini golden headphones and TABINOF and TATINOF replicas. Next to that group were the music-related items: the tiny book of sheet music from weeks ago, along with the piano bench, eighth note earrings and palm-sized music box. Next to the furniture sat the flower crown and all the key chains, which Dan realised now were meant to be Japan-related items. And finally, in the middle, sat all the dog goodies, from the tiny bowl and tennis ball to the little collar and leash, with the plushie Shibe that brought him so much joy the night before lying front and center. Gears turned in Dan’s mind as he glanced back at Phil, connections zooming through his brain a mile a minute.

“Phil...have I ever said how this is all too much? Because it is.” He gazed up at his boyfriend with wide eyes. “But I still need to give you my gift! Do we have enough time now, or do we have to go?”

Phil slid his phone out of his pocket and clicked it once to display the time. 9:32. “We’ve got some time, I think! But seriously Dan, you didn’t need to get me anything this year. Your presence is present enough.”

That earned a mighty groan from Dan. “You know what, you’re lucky I’m even still giving you anything right now. Wait here, okay?” He directed Phil to the dining table before heading back to his rarely used bedroom to maneuver through the mountains of mess on his floor to get to the heavy, medium-sized wrapped box sat inside his wardrobe. Finding a stray Santa hat on the floor, he popped it on his head, humming “Here Comes Santa Claus” all the way back to Phil.

“Merry Christmas, Phil,” he said, presenting the sweet boy with his gift, only the slightest trace of butterflies in his stomach. A childlike glint appeared in Phil’s eyes as he tore away the paper to reveal a box with a picture of a planter made to look like a dog, its long pink tongue landing in a little white bowl. With wide eyes and trembling fingers, Phil opened the box to find that very ceramic object sandwiched between layers of polystyrene, white with brown ears and accents and the cutest little smiling face. Tucked in the corners were packets of seeds and soil--everything Phil would need to grow his own plant.

“Dan!” Phil finally looked up at the elfish boy, eyes shining and hands clapped over his mouth. “This is the cutest little thing! Look at its little face, I just wanna squeeze it! Thank you Dan, this is incredible!” He drew Dan into him, planting a short but sweet kiss on his dry lips.

“Awww well, I’m glad you like it, Phil.” Dan’s soft smile pushed out his dimples. “I mean, it’s nowhere near as great as your extravaganza, but I thought you might enjoy it.”

“I love it,” Phil assured him, then glanced back at his phone lying next to the puppy planter. “But that reminds me! We have a train to catch, and I think it’s best we leave now.” He stood up sharply, grabbing his space coat from the back of the chair. “We won’t need anything but our phones and our wallets. We can come back here for our suitcases and stuff.” Dan quickly grabbed his coat from the back of his own chair, making a beeline for his room to grab his wallet. Where could Phil possibly be taking him?

The train station was positively bustling with people. Winding through the throngs of festive and grinchlike figures, it was a wonder Dan even kept Phil in sight at all. Finally, after a seemingly never-ending maze, Phil stepped up to queue at a ticket counter next to Platform 7. “Wait here, okay,” Phil instructed, steering Dan onto the platform. 

While Phil dealt with the tickets, Dan used this opportunity to gaze around the station. Tinsel and fairy lights were strung as far as the eye could see, wreaths hung on every pole, and even the station workers were getting in the festive spirit with ugly Christmas sweaters and Santa hats sprinkled throughout. People young, old, and everywhere in between hurried about with various amounts of luggage. Dan couldn’t help but feel full of festivity, especially considering who he was here with. Hundreds of scenarios flashed before his eyes, each of them probably impossible, but still thrilling anyway. After an eternity, Phil finally returned, handing Dan a ticket and a coffee from a nearby Starbucks kiosk. Dan glanced down at his ticket. “London to Brighton, 10:07 AM,” the ticket proclaimed in bold black font. Dan’s heart pounded to match the beat of the fast-approaching train, his mind beginning to narrow down some of his possibilities. “Oh shit, Phil. Was I supposed to see that?”

But Phil merely shrugged. “They would have announced it on the train anyway. I’m not telling you anything until we get there, though.” Just then, the train slowed to a stop in front of them, spitting out a stream of passengers dressed in their holiday best. Once the coast was clear, the two boys climbed onto the train, blessedly finding an empty carriage in very little time at all. 

The journey was pretty uneventful, the two boys simply enjoying each other’s company until the conductor announced their next stop was Brighton. Phil carefully detangled himself from Dan, stating that he wanted to get a little something to hold him over for the next few hours, and did Dan want anything? 

“Can you just get a muffin or something? Thanks, babe!” Dan was then left to ponder just what might be happening in the next few minutes. He flashed back to the night a week before when he had first suggested buying a house over here, and Phil had done his level best to steer Dan away from the topic. Could this be why? No...he couldn’t dare to hope.

Phil returned quickly, carrying two candy canes and blueberry muffins wrapped in several paper napkins just as the train began to slow down. “You ready?” he grinned, passing Dan his treats.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve been ready since the first of December!” Phil just grinned, grabbing Dan’s free hand and pushing the two of them through to the platform once the train finally ground to a stop. Stepping out onto the freshly polished linoleum, Dan immediately spotted a familiar figure dressed head to toe in red and green. A laugh tumbled out of his mouth as he let go of Phil’s hand to rush over and embrace his friend.

“Merry Christmas, Dan! And you too, Phil!” PJ grinned and clapped both boys on the back merrily.

“What are you doing here?” Dan gasped, his wide eyes shining and mouth shaped in an O. 

“Phil here enlisted me to help make this the best Christmas ever for the two of you, and I, for one, couldn’t be more thrilled. You sure are in for a treat today, Dan,” he beamed, leading the two lovebirds out of the station and into the chilly December air.

As the three boys slid into the car, Dan and Phil taking the backseat like taxi passengers just to be closer to one another, Dan’s fingers started drumming on every surface they could find. Banter flowed easily among them all, but Dan’s stomach pulsed with butterflies, try as he might to hide it. After what seemed like an endless twenty minutes, they finally pulled up in front of a tiny white and green house in the middle of a row with steep steps leading up to a cosy porch. Matching green shutters lined two large windows with grey curtains pulled back to reveal a cheerful festive scene, fairy lights twinkling on a large decorated Christmas tree with a tinsel-covered cream sofa just opposite. Was this where Phil was planning to spend potentially the rest of their lives? But it looked like someone else was living here! Maybe they were planning on moving out soon?

“Well, here we are,” PJ grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at Phil. “Would you like me to wait out here for you guys?”

“Actually yeah, that would be great. Thanks Peej!” Phil clapped their friend on the shoulder, sliding out into the fresh air, trembling only slightly. “I think you’re really going to like this, Dan,” he murmured, grabbing Dan’s mittened hand tight. “This may be my favourite surprise out of everything today.”

“Really?” Dan gasped, breath blowing out in visible puffs as they climbed up to the front door. Phil pulled back the screen door and knocked out a cheerful rhythm as Dan stood with bated breath, his right thumb tracing nervous circles over the back of Phil’s gloved hand.

After a few moments, the mint-coloured door was pushed open wide to reveal a kind-faced older man dressed in a jolly blue snowman jumper, beaming all the way to the tips of his grey hair. “Welcome, welcome! You must be Phil and Dan, I presume?”

“Yep!” Phil bounced up and down on his toes like a child. “I’m Phil and this is my boyfriend, Dan.” He didn’t even hesitate before dropping the b-word. Dan’s eyebrows raised ever so slightly. This man must not watch YouTube, then.

“It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Charles, by the way,” he told Dan, extending his hand to both men. “Come in, take a seat, make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right back with your little surprise.” His pale, wrinkled lips twitched as he ushered the lovebirds inside, warm air engulfing Dan like a massive hug. Dan’s heart jumped as he kicked his shoes off onto the plastic mat, not wanting to mess up the pristine white carpet. He pulled off his mittens as well, no longer needing them in the toasty warmth of the house. 

Turning left into the front room, he encountered an elderly woman whose fluffy white hair was tied into a small bun in an effort to show off her sparkling blue eyes and kind wrinkles, sitting on a large brown couch. She immediately set down her knitting and turned to the men standing in the doorway, arms open wide. “Hello there! You must be Phil and Dan! And don’t you look just as darling as you seemed in those emails!” She squeezed each boy tightly, Dan breathing in a hefty whiff of vanilla and sugar from her soft form. “I’m Susan, by the way, Charles’ wife.”

“Oh, it’s so nice to meet you, Susan! I’m Phil and this is my boyfriend, Dan,” Phil repeated, while Dan tried his best to stifle a laugh.  _ Susan? Out of all the possible female names in the universe?   _ Was that why Phil had been emailing her about...well, whatever it was?

Before the two boys even had a chance to sit down, though, Charles returned with a bright smile deepening the wrinkles on his own face. In his veiny hands lay a tiny, furry tan and white creature with the cutest little teddy bear face.  _ No. _ Was this really happening? Slowly, as if in a dream, Charles stepped up to Dan and placed the little critter gently in his arms. Dan’s heart sped up to the speed of the rave tree setting on their fairy lights and he stumbled over to the couch, careful not to drop the softer than velvet creature gazing sleepily up at him with black beady eyes.

Suddenly, it was like Dan’s world closed in on him so that it was just him, Phil, and the confused puppy in his arms. “Well hello, little guy,” he cooed, running his fingers everywhere over the dog’s feather-soft body. A euphoria like he had never known crashed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him beaming down at the adorable little animal on his lap, whose pink tongue was just beginning to poke out. Dan couldn’t help trembling, even in the toasty room. The puppy took a cautious lick of Dan’s hand, leaving him blissful nearly to the point of tears.

“He doesn’t have a name yet, but we’ve been calling him Comet, like the reindeer. That was actually Phil’s idea here. He emailed us a couple weeks ago and we all agreed it was the perfect temporary name,” Charles chuckled, pricking a needle-sized hole in Dan’s little bubble. Dan finally glanced over to Phil then, shaking his head, eyes crinkling and dimples popping. That man beside him was seriously something else!

“Do you like it?” Phil asked, voice barely above a whisper. His eyes mimicked the shine in Dan’s as he stretched out a tentative hand to stroke Comet’s caramel fur.

“Are you kidding me? This is the greatest Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten! I love him. I love him  _ so much! _ Thank you, Phil. How did I ever get so lucky to have you in my life?” Dan finally broke his silence with a gasp. “But what are we supposed to do with him? We’re both going to our parents’ tonight and I’m not sure how Colin would do with this little Shibe here.” He bit his lip, scratching behind Comet’s ears.

“Well, I’m afraid he’s not quite ready to come home just yet,” Charles interjected, running a hand over his sparse grey hair. “Today is just to see if he’s a good fit for you. And I daresay he’s found his forever home with you two lads.” His smile returned as if it had never disappeared, cutting wrinkles around his deep brown eyes.

“That’s actually perfect!” Dan enthused, sighing deeply in relief. “I don’t know if I’m even ready for a puppy today anyway. We don’t even have any supplies! Unless…” he slid his eyes over to Phil, “you bought some that I don’t know about?”

“Nope,” Phil shook his head, his trademark angelic smile lighting up his face. “I figured that would be too obvious, plus, there’s always the chance this wouldn’t work out. I’m so glad it did, though.” And you could tell. It was like someone had lit a candle inside Phil, so that a glow shone out of him from the inside, making him look like the angel he truly was.

“We sure are glad too,” Charles replied, smile evident in his voice. “Now, if you two really are serious about this, I’ll go ahead and get the adoption papers. Congratulations to both of you.”

“Thank you,” Dan squeaked as Comet scratched persistently at his pants. In what he hoped was a more somber voice, he added, “I’m one thousand percent sure. You too, Phil?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Phil assured, hands occasionally bumping Dan’s as they stroked the tiny puppy. Charles nodded, stepping out of the parlour. Dan could hear stairs creaking as he ascended them, but his eyes were back on Comet, who seemed to be in his doggy glory getting stroked by four hands. Dan’s fingers strayed toward Comet’s precious face and he felt the tickling sensation of teeny tiny teeth nibbling at his pointer finger. He thought he would explode from the cuteness. Thankfully, Charles returned quickly, only just preventing Dan’s demise by cute Shibe.

“Phil here already knows what these papers contain, don’t you, Phil?” Charles ensured. Phil nodded, taking the papers labeled “Japanese Shiba Inu Rescue UK” and spreading them on the glass surface of the coffee table in front of them, plucking the black pen from Charles’ lined hands. The boys skimmed through them, Dan barely registering anything in his state of delirium, yet still signing them with a flourish anyway. Phil did the same, then pulled his wallet out of his pocket to write out a check to the organisation.

“Phil? Are you sure? He’ll be belonging to both of us--shouldn’t we split it?”

“No. This is my gift to you. Merry Christmas, Dan.” Phil comfortingly laid his hand on top of Dan’s for just a second, squeezing it gently before turning back to the check. Dan felt his lips being pulled to Phil like a magnet, but just refrained from showing his true affection in front of the older couple. Sure, they seemed to be completely accepting about their relationship, but PDA was a whole different story. So he merely smiled down at his lap, feeling an aura of calm wash over him.

Far too soon, the paperwork was finished and the two boys stood up to say their goodbyes. Dan felt a sharp pull dragging him to Comet, but forced himself to step back out into the bright December sun after warm embraces from both Charles and Susan. He was quite relieved to see that PJ’s little navy car was still idling outside and slid back into its soft, warm interior beside Phil, slumping against the seat. He was sure he had never been happier in his entire life--he was getting a dog! Even better, it was a Shiba Inu--and he was going to be sharing it with his favourite person in the entire world! Could life honestly get any better?

“So? How did it go? Does he like you guys? What am I saying, of course he likes you guys! Dan, what did you think?” PJ was positively bursting, shifting gears with trembling hands.

“That was seriously the best Christmas surprise anyone could possibly give me. I take back anything bad I ever said about you, Phil--you’re the greatest gift anyone could ever ask for.” Dan was still trembling with overflowing joy. He tilted his head to snuggle it comfortably into Phil’s shoulder, Phil running his hand softly through Dan’s already ruffled hair.

“Awww Dan,” both Phil and PJ said in unison. “Alright now who’s ready for stop two of the Ligouri Express?” PJ added, pulling back onto the street.

“We are!” the men in the back chorused like children, wheezing with giggles. After another twenty minutes of banter and secret kisses between the boys in the back, PJ pulled into a secluded subdivision, driving slowly along the winding roads until they reached a big burgundy tri-level house with a wraparound porch and large picture windows revealing a nearly empty room, furnished only with a beautiful baby grand piano. Could this be…? Phil unfolded himself out of the car, thanking PJ again, and Dan followed up the lone porch step to the front door, trying but failing to keep his hopes from soaring up to the galaxies.

Phil pulled a key from his pocket with trembling hands, opening the screen door and fitting it into the lock on the burgundy and white front door, opening it smoothly and stretching his arm wide into the empty hallway. “Welcome,” he intoned, voice bouncing off the bare walls, “to the new Howell-Lester household! Should you choose to accept it, that is.” Dan picked up only the slightest quaver in Phil’s voice and turned to examine his questioning eyes. Gazing around his new surroundings, he found an oatmeal-carpeted lounge to his left, with windows covering two of the long walls and the very piano he had glimpsed outside sitting in front of the window. Down the short hallway in front of him lay what could only be the kitchen, with smooth wood flooring and marble countertops, and in front of that, carpeted stairs and a curvy cream-coloured banister leading to the upper floors of the house. Wandering into the kitchen, he encountered a step on his right that led down into an even bigger carpeted lounge complete with sliding glass doors opening up onto a snowy garden with a gazebo. This was--this was all  _ so much _ . Phil wanted to do this for him? Dan collapsed against the speckled wall of the lounge, sliding down onto the oatmeal-coloured carpet, heart beating a million miles a minute. Phil rushed over, grabbing his black coat sleeve in a death grip. “Dan? Is everything alright?”

“This is...this is just so much, Phil. A dog  _ and _ a house? Seriously, what did I do to deserve this?” Dan gazed up at Phil with wide eyes, utterly floored by his generosity.

“You didn’t have to do anything. You’re just Dan Howell, and that’s more than enough for me,” Phil assured, sliding down beside Dan and gripping his hands tightly. “Although you may want to stay sitting because the surprises aren’t over yet.” A Cheshire cat smile twitched across Phil’s face, the glint Dan had been seeing so often this month resurfacing in his eyes.

“ _ More _ surprises? My god Phil, you’re going to push me into an early grave,” Dan’s dimples reappeared in a true smile, gears whizzing in his mind, wondering what else Phil could possibly have up his sleeve. Surely this was his biggest gift? Really, you can’t get much bigger than an actual house, right?

“I sure hope not! That would pretty much ruin everything I have planned for us today, not to mention my entire life,” Phil giggled, relinquishing hold of Dan’s hands to wring his own together. “So, first of all, the cracker surprises. Like I said, they were in five different groups.” Dan nodded, eyebrows raised in question. “The first group; the train, the llama, the headphones, the little TABINOF and the TATINOF set, were part of something I liked to call the history of Dan and Phil.”

Dan gasped. How had he not pieced that together himself? “Ohhhhhh!” He smacked his forehead in realisation. “The train was for the day we met, and the llama for our horrible 2011 branding, the headphones for our time at Radio 1 and the book and tour set were for the last two years!” A rush of affection washed over him. Phil really was a genius--Dan honestly couldn’t believe how he had come up with this.

“Yep, exactly!” Phil beamed. “Alright, so next up were the little dog bowl, the tennis ball, the leash, the collar and the plushie Shibe, which I’m sure you figured out were all dog things to represent little Comet, or whatever you want to call him when we take him home. As long as I approve of it, anyway.” Phil raised his eyebrows in challenge.

“Alright, alright,” Dan conceded, prompting Phil to continue. “So what were the other categories?”

“Patience, bear, I’m getting to it,” Phil reassured him. “So anyway, the third group, which was the moving box, the sofa, fridge, oven and kitchen sink, were all related to this house right here.” He tapped his palm against the wall. “I found a miniature furniture designer on Etsy and I had a little fun making them look like Dil’s. I guess it worked, though, since you never suspected a thing!” Phil’s wonderful laugh bubbled out like a million tiny suns filling up the empty room.

Dan shook his head in chagrin. “Well, you’re not wrong about that! Alright go on!” He tried to remember some of the other items so he could guess Phil’s categories before the Santa-like boy explained them, but he was suddenly drawing a blank.

“Alright, so the next category had the little book of sheet music, the bench, the music note earrings and the music box, which were all meant to represent your adorable love for the piano.” Phil’s eyes crinkled as he reached into his coat pocket, sliding out a piece of white paper. “And to go with that, I got…” he improvised a muffled drum roll on the carpet underneath them, then grabbed the paper again to unfold it rather hastily. “A certificate for six months of piano lessons, starting when we move here in March! I talked with the teacher and she seems like a genuinely sweet older woman. Nothing like that drill sergeant you had before, trust me.” Phil’s eyes searched Dan’s for his reaction.

Dan’s heart swelled immensely. He had briefly mentioned he was considering starting piano lessons again, but he didn’t think Phil had listened that closely! “Phil! You’re kidding me!” he gasped, hands clapped over his mouth.

“Nope. One hundred percent serious. You’re going to be our little Kousei!” Phil’s eyes shone with pride and love, tongue poking out of his mouth the way it did when he was really happy.

A shiver ran through Dan’s entire body as he pictured his fingers flying across the keyboard just like the main character of  _ Your Lie in April _ , one of his all-time favourite animes. “Well, I sure hope so! Alright, what’s the last category?”

Phil’s eyes had clouded over then, darting everywhere across the empty room, hands now trembling. “Well, speaking of Kousei, that last category had the cherry blossom flower crown and the neko, Pikachu, Totoro and Haru key chains, which were meant to represent our love for Japan. And for that, I have a really special gift. Some might say it’s the most special of all, actually.” His hands flew to his hair, smoothing it out as right before Dan’s eyes, he pushed himself up on one knee.

“Daniel James Howell. It has been my absolute pleasure to have stood by your side for the last seven years,” Phil began, voice quavering like a rocking ship. “I’ve watched you grow from a shy, self-hating teenager to the beautiful, confident, poised adult you are today. You may have surpassed me in YouTube subscribers but I’ve never stopped loving the content you produce, no matter how long it takes you to upload a video and how many doubts you may have about it. We’ve weathered the worst of storms and basked in the greatest moments together. And through it all, I’ve never once stopped loving you.” Phil paused to gulp sharply, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as Dan’s heart hammered so hard he was sure it was about to burst out of his chest. “So I ask you, my best friend and companion for the past seven years, and hopefully many more--Dan Howell. Will you marry me?”

Dan couldn’t believe his ears. Was this happening? Was this even real? He grabbed Phil’s hands in his own death grip, tears streaming from his eyes, cheeks hurting from smiling so wide. “Yes! Yes, absolutely, a thousand times yes!” Phil broke into an immensely relieved smile of his own, slithering his right hand out of Dan’s to reach into his coat pocket for a tiny velvet box. Hand shaking, he popped it open and slid the smooth, beautiful gold ring onto Dan’s left hand. “Well thank goodness for that because the fifth and final present is…” he extracted his left hand from Dan’s grip to reach into his other coat pocket, drawing out a couple papers stapled and folded together. “A honeymoon trip to Japan!! It’s in April, just like when we went in 2015! Except this time the plane tickets are a lot cheaper because they weren’t booked last-minute!” Phil doubled over in a fit of delirious giggles, hands over his mouth.

“ _ Phil!  _ You did  _ not! _ ” Dan gasped, smacking at his now-fiance’s coat-covered arms in shock. “But that means we only have three months to plan a wedding!”

“We planned an entire stage show in six. I think we can do a wedding in half that time. That’s why I asked for the beginning of our 2017 to be completely off.” Phil intertwined his fingers with Dan’s in an attempt to end the abuse.

“Wow. Well, I sure hope we can. I still can’t believe you planned all this. Phil, you really are a genius.” Dan bore his eyes directly into Phil’s to show just how much he meant this.

“It certainly wasn’t easy, I’ll tell you that. But I never once stopped believing it would work. And I’m so, so glad it did.”

“Me too. Merry Christmas, Phil,” Dan gazed into the gorgeous man’s perfect kaleidoscopic eyes, thoroughly ecstatic at the prospect of spending the rest of his life with this man he loved with all his heart and more.

“Merry Christmas, Dan,” Phil murmured back, leaning in to press his soft lips against Dan’s, who was immediately intoxicated by the sharp taste of peppermint and something incredibly sweet that was all Phil’s own. It was barely 1 PM but there was no doubt in Dan’s mind that this had been the best Christmas of his entire life. Phil would really have to outdo himself to top this now. The rest of the world could suck it--he had Phil, he had a dog, he had piano lessons, he had a house  _ and _ he had a honeymoon trip to Japan--2017 could throw whatever it wanted at him, but with Phil by his side, he could take absolutely anything.


End file.
